Deductions
by WitchyGirl99
Summary: Called to the scene of a burglary, Inuyasha noticed three things: 1) Miroku and Sango were still morons in love; 2) the burglary was clearly an inside job; and 3) Kagome Higurashi was irritatingly interesting. But the case was so much more than simply a stolen body from a lab. For someone as brilliant as him, that final realization would come far too late. A Sherlock AU. InuKag.
1. Prologue

**Here begins Day 1 of the 12 Days of Witchyness.**

**This story in its entirety is dedicated to _noyourenotreal_ on Tumblr. It wouldn't exist otherwise and I am eternally grateful.**

**Warnings:** graphic depictions of crime scenes, dead bodies, ways a person can be murdered, something akin to early-canon Inuyasha's personality, and a hell of a lot of swearing. While I have researched extensively for this story (_literal hours-long research_ on published journals regarding the pathology of bullet wounds and stab wounds, multiple YouTube videos studying body decomposition, the best ways to slowly bleed someone to death, lab procedure, you get the picture, etc.) I am not, in fact, a forensic pathologist, detective or assassin. I tried my best, and I hope you enjoy. Additional warnings may be added as necessary.

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Prologue: Common Fucking Sense_

* * *

It had happened. Finally, _finally—_

A goddamn fucking murder.

Inuyasha Taisho stormed towards the police tape. The lights off the cruisers painted shadows across the street, blue and red intermittent flashes. There were cops everywhere, a mixture of fresh faces exhausted from the late hour and more senior staff, alert but bored.

It always made him roll his eyes. There was nothing boring about a murder.

He approached the yellow tape and ducked underneath. He started to count in his head and got to _4 _when one of the cops finally yelled at him. Again. Like he had a face that was forgettable or something. Idiots, all of them.

"Consulting detective," he spat out, already feeling his irritation build. He hadn't even seen the crime scene yet. What a fucking waste of his time. The same song and dance, over and over. The cop would be as bright as a burnt-out bulb and he'd have to roll his eyes and insult them before they were fed up enough to call for help. Useless, the lot of them.

And oh, he had clearly won the lottery because two cops blocked his path. A male, demon, scowl in place, standing a little too closely to the female, human, who looked terrified. Her first day. Dear fucking lord, help him.

"ID," the female cop stated, words firm. At least she faked her confidence with something akin to passable. Still, fucking irritating to all hell. Couldn't he just get to the _murder—_

"I'm Inuyasha Taisho and I'm the consulting detective on this case," he explained, holding on to his temper with both hands. "Detective Tsujitani is expecting me."

The other cop smirked. "There's no such thing as a consulting detective."

"Yeah but there is. It's just as real as your demotion two weeks ago. _No_, last week," he corrected, watching the demon's eyes narrow. "That's what happens when you hit the bottle too hard and blame anything but your affair on the reason your marriage ended." Inuyasha sniffed and glared at the other cop, who was – predictably, god they always were so predictable – holding the walkie-talkie at her ear with an expression of shock. "Well?"

"He said you can go in," was all she said.

"Fucking finally," he breathed out and moved beyond them.

The building he headed to was old, at least forty years. Marred and stained with mud and graffiti. A sign hung crookedly over a window: an auto mechanic shop, and in his estimation abandoned five years ago. Standing in the doorway of said shop was one Detective Miroku Tsujitani. Young, mostly professional. Acceptable at his job. He valued Inuyasha's input, more than any other detective at the precinct. He was charismatic, quick to smile and good with people. In the past twenty-six months of them working together, he'd had sex with at least a hundred people. All casual, likely due to his abandonment issues. It caused far more drama than needed with his usual partner, Detective Houko, whom he clearly loved.

It was a disaster, really. Predictable and boring.

"I was expecting you?" Miroku asked, mouth curved in a half-smile.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and pushed his way past him. "Obviously."

"That was sarcasm, Inuyasha!"

Ignoring the quip, Inuyasha headed towards the back of the building. It was where the main garage connected, and where a gathering of forensic techs stood. "Why the hell would you keep a murder investigation from me?"

"First of all," Miroku stated, eyebrows high and clearly unimpressed, "we don't even know this is a murder. Secondly, how did you even know we were here? No one called you."

"I was in the neighbourhood."

The detective snorted. "Uh huh."

Inuyasha stopped at the entrance to the room that was clearly being investigated. Forensic techs were suited up, photographing markers and collecting evidence. The garage itself seemed normal. Hard concrete floors, cracked and shifted with age. Pipes ran along the ceiling, some holding old coiled hoses with rusted ends. On the furthest end of the garage were two lifts, the metal structure tarnished and untouched. At first glance, it appeared to be just as advertised: an abandoned garage. No signs of distress. No blood. "What happened?" he asked.

That smile of Miroku's was back, mischievous. "Sure you don't want to deduce it?"

"How about you fuck off?"

"Thought so." The detective sighed. "We received a call a few hours ago—"

"_Exactly when_—"

"Four hours and three minutes ago," Miroku answered, giving in before Inuyasha could bother him with the same demand all over again. Inuyasha glared; he wouldn't have to insist if the detective just spoke concisely. "Some suspicious kids – a lot of graffiti has been coming up in the area as of late. All you've got to do is look at the front of this building to see it. Anyways, officers Sen and Nishio were sent to check it out. The door was wide open so they went inside. That's when Nishio smelled it."

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose, detecting the trikelchlorite himself. Faint, but unmistakably there. Where regular bleach had its trademark scent, trikelchlorite was more like ozone, the moment before a downpour. The techs near him were prepping the luminol with the peroxide, clearly getting ready to understand the scene around them. Trikelchlorite contained copper which allowed for the chemiluminescence that would present once sprayed with the luminol – it's main differentiating factor from normal bleach. "And?"

"He said he smelled trikelchlorite. A lot of it." Before Inuyasha could say or do anything – like raise his eyebrows in suspicion – the detective continued. "Nishio's a bear demon."

Ah. Bear demons had the greatest scent detection of any demon race. If this Officer Nishio said he smelled trikelchlorite, then he likely did. It had taken Inuyasha years to refine the scent of it himself and even still, in a room that was apparently drenched in it, he could barely notice it. "How strong was it to him?"

"Apparently he could smell it the moment he stepped inside." Miroku checked his notes.

So, relatively fresh or overwhelmingly used. Trikelchlorite was a specific kind of bleach that was meant to be virtually undetectable to demons. Well, demons that didn't have an extremely heightened sense of smell. To a bear demon, it would be like he was standing in the midst of a storm. Still, the smell of trikelchlorite shouldn't have been enough to bring out forensics, which meant there had been a clue.

"Where is it?" Inuyasha asked, trying not to be irritated. Miroku was a decent detective but he tended to make Inuyasha work for it, if he could. Hiding evidence just to see how close he would get on his own.

Smiling – always goddamn smiling, the imbecile – Miroku gestured to one of the techs in the garage and asked for the bag. It took only a moment, but the glint was the first thing to register. Green, bright. Quite large. Miroku pushed back his black bangs as he handed the bag of evidence over to him, letting a tiny bit of exhaustion show. "Nishio found this in one of the cracks in the corner."

A ring. Simple in the band, with a clawed inset that held a large emerald. Valued at approximately $1,600, based on the cut, but he'd have to inspect further to validate it. What was easily evident though was the dried blood, crusted in the tiny divots. This. _This_. Combined with the use of trikelchlorite and the location, something had happened here.

A _murder_.

"Don't look so happy," Miroku said, frowning. Inuyasha continued to ignore him, opening the bag to scent it. Definitely blood, though old. The trikelchlorite wasn't as fresh then, meaning the dosage was higher. A lot of bleach to cover a lot of blood.

He sealed the bag once more and let the ring move around, inspecting the inside of the band. Oh, how terribly basic.

"Inuyasha?"

"What?" he snapped, shoving the bag back into the detective's hands and stepping back into the doorway to the main garage. The luminol was in the process of being sprayed but only one the outer corners. Still, a few techs glared at him, hands up to stop him from entering. Fine then. He didn't need to come in. He let his eyes roam over the scene from afar, checking the floor, the walls, the ceiling.

"This isn't necessarily a murder."

"Of course it's a murder," Inuyasha replied, unable to hide the disdain in his voice.

"We haven't found any traces of blood, minus the ring."

"That's what the trikelchlorite was for, obviously." Rolling his eyes, he pointed to the techs. "Tell them to focus underneath that pipeline there, in the ceiling. That's where you'd find it."

"I can't—"

"Continue to waste my time? I'm aware. I'm giving them fifteen minutes." Inuyasha gave one last look at the garage before heading outside.

The detective groaned behind him but Inuyasha paid it no mind. There were better things to do, like finding Officer Nishio. A bear demon wouldn't be too hard to find, though the bustle of cops around would make it more challenging. The terrible lighting that a three am crime scene provided made it harder to see faces, but bear demons were characteristically much larger than any human. It took some tracking but eventually he was able to find the man, standing by his partner near the furthest edge of the tape barrier. The familiarity of their stances and the angles of their bodies were simple enough to deduce from.

It also proved something else.

"Office Nishio?" Inuyasha asked, staring up at the cop. "I have a few questions for you."

The bear demon narrowed his red eyes but it wasn't him who spoke. His partner did, a bulky human with too much hair and not enough brains. "And who are you?"

"Consulting detective," he replied, holding back a tired sigh. Every time. Every damn time. "Why did you–"

"That's not a real thing," Officer Sen pointed out, frowning.

One day, Inuyasha was going to throttle someone and Detective Miroku Tsujitani wouldn't be able to do anything about it. "Let me make myself really fucking clear: there are three people standing here and only one of them is actually smart. The other is quasi-intelligent at best while the last is a complete moron. Who do you think you are?"

Officer Sen scowled and took a heavy step forward when the bear demon interceded, putting his big arm in front of his partner. "Easy, Sen."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Go and find Detective Tsujitani, will you? He'll verify, you'll be gone and we'll all be much happier for the next five minutes."

"Christ," Officer Nishio groaned. "You're a fucking prick, you know that?"

"Don't actually care." He waved as Officer Sen retreated, a smirk plastered to his face with the smuggest expression he could muster. "Well, now that the moron is gone, let's talk."

The bear demon growled. "Stop talking about my partner like that. I don't know where the hell you get off—"

"Oh god, shut up," Inuyasha snapped. "You think he's dumb, too. Why else would you have felt so confident lying to him about the graffiti call?" At the officer's blank look, Inuyasha held back a growl of his own. "Seriously? Keep up. The so-called 'call' you received to investigate this building is a load of bullshit. You know it. I certainly fucking know it. So why come here at all?"

Officer Nishio was shaking his head. "I didn't—"

"Jesus, never mind. You're dumber than your partner. At least he knows when he's beaten." Waving a sharp hand at the abandoned car shop behind him, he scowled. "This neighbourhood is strictly industrial. Every nearby shop closes promptly at five o'clock – even the goddamn _Starbucks_ three blocks over closes at five. Which means by 6 PM this place is a ghost town. Add that to the fact that the graffiti on the wall here is at least three years old. The degradation of the paint and fading from the sun exposure is evidence enough. The call supposedly came in at around eleven pm, suggesting there were some idiots around spray painting. Well, that's bullshit. There's nothing fresh and no one around to see it and make a call. So I'll ask one last time or I'm going to tell Detective Tsujitani in no uncertain terms how you've falsified your statement: why come here at all?"

Blinking, horrified, the bear demon opened his mouth and then closed it. He swallowed, obviously processing everything he'd just been told. Inuyasha didn't hold back his sigh that time. "That's impossible," Officer Nishio stammered out.

"No, just common fucking sense."

"Shit, okay. Yeah, I made up the call. But it's not what you think. I have contacts all around the city, okay? A lot of contacts that don't want to be interrogated or questioned by police. They're vulnerable." Office Nishio held out a placating hand. "One of them saw something suspicious here, about a week ago. This was the earliest I could come and check it out. I've been chained to desk duty all week and every time I tried to get someone out here they were waylaid. I didn't think it would be anything, you know? I didn't worry about it. But then I smelled the trikelchlorite."

Humming, Inuyasha rubbed his hands together. "And what did they see?"

"A man, all in black with his face covered. He was carrying a bunch of stuff in and out, all of this around four in the morning. At one point, he was lugging something big, long and heavy."

A body. Inuyasha suppressed his smirk at the validity of his assessment. "And who is your homeless contact?"

Narrowing his eyes, Officer Nishio shook his head. "I never said they were homeless."

"Didn't have to." The two of them locked eyes, the bear demon sizing him up before blowing out a long breath. "Give me a name, Nishio."

"Totosai."

Smirking, Inuyasha spun around on his heel and headed back towards the shop. He looked over his shoulder briefly and called out, "As this is officially a murder investigation, you'll need to come clean to Detective Tsujitani. I'll let you tell him. He won't appreciate it coming from me." Inuyasha had learned that the hard way last time. Whatever the bear demon said in response – if he said anything at all –didn't make it to his ears.

Officer Sen came bursting out of the doorway just before he got there, scowling for all he was worth and muttering a directed slur as he passed by. Nothing Inuyasha hadn't heard before. Nothing he hadn't heard at a _crime scene_ before, even.

"There you are!" Miroku's arms were crossed. "I thought you wanted to see the luminol."

"Don't need to," he replied, shaking his head. "A big circle with the big pipe in the centre of it. Yeah?"

The detective pursed his lips. "Yeah."

"Missing the edges, where the ring was found."

"How did you—" With an explosive sigh, Miroku shook his head. "Never mind."

"It's the only thing that makes sense." Inuyasha peered into the room. The forensic techs we just turning the lights back on, the last remnants of luminol disappearing. "Can I step inside?"

Miroku sighed. "As long as you put on the booties, then yeah. I won't dare ask you to try the jumpsuit again."

Grunting, Inuyasha took the Tyvek material to cover his shoes and then entered the space for the first time, his golden eyes examining every surface. He lowered himself to the floor, sniffing delicately as he studied the cracks in the concrete. Eyes darting up, he took in the large central pipe once more. "I need a ladder."

"Of course you do."

"And the ring back." Inuyasha moved to examine the far corners of the room, hating the dampness of leftover luminol and oxidant. For the most part, the building was marred with age. The concrete was uneven and cracked in several places, loose chunks filling in crooked gaps. He took in the walls, examining for any kind of clue. There were two massive garage doors, one to the back and the other to the front. Both were chained and locked, though the hold was discoloured from rust. They hadn't been opened at any point though, clearly. He went back to where the pipe ran along the ceiling, standing underneath. Miroku was in the doorway, head-to-toe in protective equipment and watching him with interest. He was too used to this: Inuyasha's constant movement and ceaselessly roaming gaze.

"Move," Inuyasha demanded, gesturing with his hand to get out of the way.

Miroku rolled his eyes but did so. "Why?"

"Because." Inuyasha spun around completely then, taking in the back wall. He narrowed his eyes. "Where's my ladder?"

"Still coming."

Inuyasha went towards the back window, bending in closely towards the frame of it. Yes, _there_. Tiny holes, like little pinpricks. He followed the trail around the majority of the window and then headed towards the only other exit – a single doorway, right beside the larger garage door. He inspected for the same thing. Then he dropped to the floor, shuffling along until he spotted what he was looking for. Ground down a little and quite small – new material then, black. Forensics would have missed this.

Interesting.

"Where do you want the ladder?" Miroku's voice barely filtered in. With a grunt, he pointed towards where he once stood. If they put it in the wrong spot – which was highly likely – he would just move it himself.

Standing up, the consultant scanned the walls once more, taking them in with a new eye from all that he had so far learned. If he was correct – and Inuyasha moved himself into the path of the doorway once more to be sure – then there would be…

A black stain. _Half _of a black stain. A perfect line, not possible to create if done organically so that meant there had to be— How would one dispose of—

"Idiot," Inuyasha hissed under his breath, irritated with himself. He'd only done a very cursory glance, not yet prepared to look into the underbelly of the mechanical lift. But now he moved there with purpose, no intention of actually going down but using his eyes to find what he was looking for. The temporary lighting the techs had put up didn't shine well in the hole but it should be an obvious sight—

There.

Inuyasha smirked. Straightening himself out, he tugged on the bottom of his red leather jacket and moved to the ladder. Not terribly placed. Miroku was getting smarter at reading his grunts. "It was a good thing you called me," he stated, grabbing at the metal frame and shifting it over two feet.

Miroku huffed in annoyance. "I _didn't_."

It took only a moment to examine the pipe. It was old but still sturdy, though rusty as well. A severe lack of protection in the winter – poor insulation – caused moisture to wreck havoc on the materials come summer. And yes, the clear line and indent of strong metal rubbing against it…

"You would have felt really stupid if you hadn't called me for what is clearly an assassination."

One of the few forensic techs still in the room froze. Miroku simply looked dumbfounded. "Excuse me?" the detective asked, sounding incredulous. "Not even a fucking murder. You're calling this an _assassination_?"

"And a well done one, too. Professional. Likely ex-military."

It was becoming somewhat of a habit for the detective to put his hands over his eyes, like the darkness they provided would give him the strength needed to process such simple facts. Inuyasha didn't give him shit for it anymore, though apparently, he'd never been able to reign in his look of sheer derision. Miroku normally glared at him afterwards but this time he didn't even have the gall. He simply shook his head. "How the hell did you come up with _that_?"

"Observe." Inuyasha hopped off the ladder and waved his arms around the room. "There are clues everywhere if you would just take the time to pay them any attention."

"I don't see anything."

Inuyasha took in a large breath through his mouth, praying for patience. "The luminol confirmed the spread of the trikelchlorite, a circular design with this spot right here as the centre of it. The trikelchlorite would only have been used to bleach out blood, which meant the blood pooled here. None of the bleach was found on the walls, and no indentations in the walls indicating a gunshot. Could be blunt force, could be a stabbing. But the circle is massive – the killer bleached nearly this entire area."

He stared at the floor, images flashing in his mind of the scenarios as they worked themselves out. "An amateur would have just done the area in reckless swipes, not a perfect circle. Someone who has killed before. But someone who has killed before and has any ounce of intelligence would avoid leaving any trace evidence."

"So they used trikelchlorite on nearly the whole area," Miroku said, "and took away our evidence."

"_Wrong_." Inuyasha shook his head, hands gesturing in a circular motion to the floor. "Trikelchlorite _is _trace evidence. Proof of its usage. This is an industrial area, a lot of manual labour meaning a high demonic population. Trikelchlorite was necessary so using _this much_ to cover a space indicates a lot of blood. Something happened or went wrong. This is a body's worth of blood."

Miroku paled. "Exsanguination?"

"Exactly and therefore, assassination." Inuyasha jerked his head up, looking to the pipe. "Clear indication of chain being wrapped several times around with a heavy load on it: a body. This area is notorious for how empty it is past working hours. It's all warehouses and manufacturing. Little lighting and humming from machines running during the night. A lot of white noise, ideal for stealth.

"Now, the victim. There's virtually nothing to help us here other than the fact that it's likely female and somewhat local. I'd place her residence or area of familiarity within a twenty kilometre radius. As far as an assassination goes, this would be fairly accurate. The shorter amount of time you spend with the body, the better. Our killer grabbed the body, hauled her out here and strung her up. Information or some kind of prize is the only reason to do so. Revenge and petty indifferences equal a bullet or poison, not the skills of an ex-military hitman."

The detective came closer, hands tugging at the hood of the Tyvek jumpsuit. A tell, his impatience getting the better of him. "How can you be so sure she's local though? Maybe she was visiting the area."

"This is why you see but you don't _observe_," Inuyasha sighed. He pointed viciously to the windows. "Little nails, evenly spaced around the side and upper border of both the window and the back door. There are miniscule amounts of trace evidence from the black tarp our killer used to cover them up. His killing was at night, so there's no purpose for the tarps other than to rule out the potential of recognition in an area. Victims are far more likely to push for escape when they feel they know the position they're in. Our killer prevented that." Inuyasha used his hands to gesture straight ahead, like laser beams from his shoulders. "This is where the body was positioned but see here, I can view right out the doorway and into the lobby. There's a business across the road, a style of brick that's only used in this area of the city. It could have been familiar. _No_." He spun around, nodding to himself. "She was positioned this way, hence the tarping of the back window and door. The ring was found in the further left corner, which is where she threw it likely when she was alone and bleeding to death. A last ditch effort. Lastly, the stain on the wall there is clearly only a partial. The straight line indicates something was blocking it, and the row of nails several inches above and to the right confirms it. Any visitors to the lobby can see into here, meaning the owner would likely have placed a business sign. The sign that holds the other half of the stain, which can be found in the underbelly of the lift. Have someone get it out later. I doubt there will be trace evidence but our killer clearly ditched it down there."

"Jesus." A sort of hysterical laughter bubbled from Miroku's lips, making him look younger despite the pallor of his skin. "You're insane."

"Smart."

"Both."

Inuyasha scowled and moved on. "A woman was murdered here for information or the like, but without finding her body we can't begin to determine a motive. Forensics will have to verify it was only a single killer from the boot treads, but they'll gain nothing else from it. A standard work boot you could get anywhere in an average man's size. When they confirm only a single user, we can assume our killer is a demon. It would take a fair amount of strength to haul the body up that high with chain, where the links would make the pull more difficult. A human male is possible, but unlikely." With a frown, he took out his phone and opened up Maps.

"Anything else?"

"The body was probably dumped in the lake. If my assumptions are correct, the demon wouldn't need any assistance carrying her body to one of the cliff-edges so you'll find no evidence there. I suggest the southwestern border though. Have your team scour there, just in case." He showed Miroku the location on his phone, tapping at the screen lightly with his claws. "You need to find the body."

"In the lake?" Miroku let out a slow breath. "You know we don't have that kind of manpower and without blood, it'll be impossible to get any kind of approval to do so."

"Not my problem." Inuyasha tucked his phone away and then held out his hand. "The ring?"

The evidence bag deposited in his hands, he took one more, long look at it, letting the knowledge from the room and his deductions add any additional layers to his insight. "This ring was thrown in a moment of desperation. She knew she was dying. Bound by chain and slowly bleeding to death. She would have only thrown it if it could identify her, yet there's no name."

"Only a date." Miroku pointed to the inner band. "An anniversary?"

"Likely. The stone is often associated with fidelity and love." He grunted. "But tons of other shit, too. It's hard to deduce anything. It could be the birthstone of a child they had, with their date of birth."

"We'll go through any missing persons, see if any of them include the mention of a ring like this. We can sort through those who are married or have children as well; maybe one of them has the same anniversary date or birth date. It's a massive long shot but we can try."

Inuyasha gave the evidence bag back and then headed towards the back door. It opened easily, despite the rusted hinges though the creak was almost ominous. Outside held a kind of parking lot, asphalt laid down but crackled with age and neglect. He viewed the surrounding buildings – all of them rear-facing though two alleys were clearly in sight. He headed towards the one with dumpsters, hopping every once and a while to remove the booties.

"Where are you going?" Miroku called out, his stumbling footsteps following behind.

"To get you the evidence you need for your manpower." Inuyasha jogged to the dumpster and then used the booties to lift the lid, peering inside. A near overflow of garbage bags greeted him, the scent of stale food clear. Good, this was the spot then. He checked the front of the building – a cheap diner, greasy breakfasts and lunches only – and made it back to the alleyway before Miroku caught up.

"What the hell do you mean the proof I need?" The detective frowned. "I thought you said it wasn't your problem."

"It's not but I need you to find the victim to solve the case, and you can't do that without sign-off. The wonders of bureaucratic bullshit." Inuyasha pointed to the dumpster. "This is where the homeless man witnessed our killer moving the body, probably when our victim was dead."

Miroku hissed through his teeth. "Wait, back it up. There's a witness?"

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha feared for the police department. Officer Nishio was dumber than he had originally predicted. "Nishio falsified the call and his statement. He has connections to the homeless network here, and they warned him of a suspicious man in all black carrying what looked to be a body into a car around four in the morning. This is a restaurant and there's daily unused food going into this dumpster. Without anyone to witness, it's the perfect place for someone without any food options to come and get something. It's also a clear view to the shop's backdoor." He smirked. "Nishio said this happened a week ago."

"A fucking _week ago_?" Miroku swore some more, anger etched into the lines of his forehead. "For fuck's sake, I'm going to _bury _him."

"He didn't think it was anything at the time, hence why he came under false pretenses. Should this have equalled out to the nothing he expected it to be, no one would have been the wiser. The homeless man – Totosai – only said it looked like he was carrying something very large. Not necessarily a body."

"Doesn't matter."

"I don't care either way." Inuyasha shrugged. "Just find the body."

The two of them made their way back, ducking under crime scene tape along the side of the garage. No one questioned him when Miroku was near and Inuyasha tried not to let that annoy him, ignoring skirted glances and the tainted whispers. Despite his appearance, it was like they assumed his hearing was the same as a human's. Wrong, wrong, _wrong_ on so many levels.

And then they passed officers Nishio and Sen.

"Nishio," Miroku barked, displeasure evident. "Follow me."

The bear demon looked terrified, his red eyes weaving between Inuyasha and the detective. His posture was tense but Inuyasha felt nothing for him. The man had had his chance and he didn't take it. Inuyasha had a job to do and it didn't include making anyone from the precinct feel better about themselves.

They continued to move through the scene, Miroku not checking to see if the beat cop had followed him. Clapping Inuyasha on the back, the detective shot him a look that spoke of no sleep and too much caffeine. "I'll text you any updates."

He nodded, giving a sort of mocking salute before heading towards the main road. He needed to get to his motorcycle and drive for a bit, get the thoughts out of his head. There was nothing better than a murder, something to get his brain going, something that made him _useful_. But the clues and evidence always lingered long after he'd left a scene, leaving him high on a sort of adrenaline rush with no end in sight.

"Oh good, the mongrel's finally leaving. Guess Tsujitani didn't need him after all."

And just like that, an end was in sight. Inuyasha froze, unable to stop the smirk from gracing his lips as he spun around slowly. Easy enough to pick out the person who said it – the alcoholic demon from earlier – but like many others he didn't seem to register that Inuyasha would have heard. Stupid, considering it was said loudly enough a human would've caught it.

But then again, humans ranked a little higher in their books.

"Are you actually this stupid, or are you still trying and failing to impress blondie over here?" Inuyasha asked, nodding his head towards one of the female cops nearby. Pretty, tall, and clearly not buying it. Her expression had screamed boredom when he had walked by.

"Keep walking, '_consulting detective_,'" the cop spat out, making the last two words sound equal to sewage.

"Well at least that was accurate," Inuyasha replied, voice sharp. "Unlike, I imagine, the last few cases you had as detective. Pretty hard to put assholes away when you can't even drink something that doesn't have vodka in it."

The demon growled, stalking over. Inuyasha wasn't scared. If anything, his body was thrumming, finally alive. His body getting to meet and match the buzzing of his mind. Too much, too powerful, too unstoppable to make sense of. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" the cop hissed.

Inuyasha smirked. "A better detective than you ever were," he answered, barely a murmur. "Though, that's a pretty low bar."

"You fucking—"

"_Hey! _What the hell is going on here?" Miroku was back, shoving his way through the line of officers that had been slowly gathering to watch. His blue eyes screamed fire, his right hand clenching and unclenching like he always did when he was about to go into perceived danger. That gaze was piercing and directly aimed at him, but Inuyasha didn't flinch or open his mouth to answer. _He _wasn't stupid.

But the cop was.

"This fucking mongrel was talking shi—"

Miroku's reaction was instantaneous. His whole body practically convulsed, head thrown back and spine arching like he'd been knocked in the head. He snapped back like an elastic band, so exasperated and fucking _done _that Inuyasha almost grinned. "Shut the fuck up, Takashi. Call him that one more time and I'll make sure you never step out in a uniform again."

The threat was negligible – Miroku didn't have that kind of power – but Takashi's recent demotion was still fresh in his mind. His mouth clicked shut so hard the sound was audible to everyone around them, even the humans.

Miroku's glare shifted to Inuyasha. "How many times?"

He knew exactly what the detective was asking. "Two, though I'm sure I missed a fair amount once inside."

"How come all this shit never piles up when Sango's around?" Miroku asked, somewhat plaintively. He shook his head and looked back just fast enough to catch Inuyasha's short wave. It was time to go. He _needed _to go. If he wasn't going to be able to fight someone, he needed to direct the energy elsewhere.

This time, Inuyasha didn't head to his motorcycle. He headed towards the nearby sidewalk and when no one was looking, took off in a sprint that would have snapped the necks of any nearby humans. He craved the speed, the rush, the insurmountable desire to pummel and claw and _destroy _anything around him.

The Takashi idiot wasn't the first and he wouldn't be the last. 'Mongrel' wasn't even the worst he'd ever heard.

When you were half-human and half-demon, there was nothing about you that was special. Nothing pure. Nothing _right_. You were no more than an abomination. Demon- and human-kind didn't procreate together. The chances of a successful birth were slim to none, and in many circles seen as an offense to whatever god they prayed to.

Inuyasha ran until his head was empty and his hands were bleeding from the indents of his claws, digging into his palms.

It didn't help.

It never did.

* * *

[Incoming Message from Miroku Tsujitani - 05/10/2019, 9:27 PM]

_No body in the lake. We've got nothing._

[Outgoing Message]

_For fuck's sake, look again._

* * *

**I couldn't help myself. There are easter eggs everywhere in this story.**

**Feedback is love.**


	2. (1) Like Magnetism

**Day 8 of the 12 Days of Witchyness**

**Author's Note:** The last chapter was only the prologue. This is the beginning of the true story :) I hope you enjoy, considering this was so not the posting plan. Oh well. I was only home for 2 hours total today. Writing wasn't in the cards.

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 1: Like Magnetism_

* * *

For the eighth time that night, Kagome Higurashi called herself an idiot. A _massive _idiot. It was bad enough that she let her co-worker bully her into letting them finish the report. The report that was extremely important to their boss, who needed it at eight am sharp the next morning.

The report that her idiot co-worker never finished.

Kagome sighed. She should never have trusted Gatenmaru, even though he was adamant that he wanted to do it. Just yet another idiot she worked with who thought they were better than her just because they were in residency. Well, Kagome was already a damn doctor.

One that left her field but—

That was besides the point.

She wasn't an idiot, was the point, except for when she was. And trusting Gatenmaru was the dumbest thing she'd done in a while. Which was why at eleven pm she was briskly walking across the parking lot to Sakura Scientific, the government-funded lab in which she was temporarily working as an assistant. Not exactly what she had in mind when she got her medical degree, but it was her choice to do this.

Pressing her access card to the scanner at the employee entrance, Kagome frowned when it didn't make a sound. The usual cheerful 'beep' had always been an indicator before, but now the device remained suspiciously silent. The light on the device, however, was green. Pulling at the handle, the door gave way easily, unlocked. Maybe the device's sound was broken, or something.

It was the first red flag, a sort of strange occurrence that made her wary of the rest of her entry into the lab. The lights were on which wasn't unusual – night shift should be in – but it was incredibly quiet. Generally, they were at least playing some kind of music, something to pass the time as they performed autopsies or completed reports and paperwork. She'd only been in at this time once or twice before though, so Kagome tried to brush the red flags aside as she headed towards the main lab. She needed to find the files Gatenmaru was working on, and then head to the office to finalize the report her boss needed. Shouldn't take more than an hour, hopefully.

Her sneakers were quiet against the tile as she entered the lab. Kagome took a look around for whoever was on night duty to announce her presence but… It was empty. The lights were on, a body covered on one of the autopsy tables, but no one was around.

Nothing but quiet.

Kagome felt a prickle of unease travel down her spine. Something was wrong. She didn't know what, exactly, but every instinct in her was screaming to get away. _Not right, not right_, her mind seemed to chant. Despite the warnings, she ventured towards the bay of tables with the single body. It was almost like… Almost like an autopsy was going to be started, but then the pathologist suddenly disappeared. Had there been something wrong with the body? She scanned the side desk where the paperwork typically sat, though none was present. What was going _on_?

Grabbing a pair of gloves, Kagome slapped them on and gingerly went to unzip the bag covering the body. What she found was even more confusing: the body hadn't even been cleaned yet. Bags were still tied to the victim's hands, dirt and grime covering her skin, clothes still on. How had the body even made it to the autopsy table if the diener hadn't taken care of anything yet? The body shouldn't have even been in the _lab_.

Kagome frowned, trying desperately to push aside the warning bells that were screaming at her. The broken security entrance, the empty room, and now this? She even recognized the body on the table in front of her: a demon woman with black hair and a tattoo, who had been brought in earlier that day. Kagome had completed her entry paperwork and logged everything. Nothing should have been wrong.

She needed to leave, to try and find someone in the building who could answer her questions. Should she call her boss? Zipping the bag back up, Kagome started to toss her gloves in the trash when she heard the familiar sound of a large bay door opening down the hall. She froze, her mind racing, trying to determine what to do. Everything screamed in her to run, while the logical side of her wanted to find out exactly what was happening.

Heavy footsteps. Approaching.

Without any further hesitation, Kagome dived for one of the solid metal counters, hiding behind it. As rational as she wanted to be, it was just after eleven at night. There was no way any bodies were being delivered, especially since no one seemed to be around to accept it.

What the hell was _going on_?

She didn't dare breathe, waiting to hear something, _anything_ that indicated she was actually safe. That the alarm bells screaming in her mind were nothing more than false worries. This was silly, wasn't it? An overactive imagination.

But then she heard a hissed, malicious voice, and every muscle in her body tensed. It was true that Kagome likely didn't know everyone who worked on the night shift at Sakura Scientific. But normal employees probably didn't say: "Get the body and go. Sixty seconds."

Oh god. Oh dear god. Kagome took in a shuddering inhale, hating how she could _hear _it. What the hell was happening? The police. She needed to call the police. But it occurred to Kagome then that she had no idea how many intruders were in the room with her, or if they were human or demon or what. If even one of them was a demon, they'd easily be able to hear the sound of her phoning the cops.

Shit, she was shaking. Kagome tried to take long, calming breaths, her hands pressed firmly against the cold tile. She needed to breathe, and _think_, and stay silent. She couldn't let them find her. She couldn't—

The sound of the body bag being moved had her biting her lip. _Quiet_, she had to be quiet. The intruders were near silent as well, footsteps barely being heard. Kagome waited, counting, trying to keep whatever breaths she did take slow and hushed. The bay door down the hall made another shuddering noise. _Five. Four. Three. Two. One_—

And then the room was completely silent. No whispers of movement, no voices, nothing. Slowly, like she was terrified of the noise her bones would make with the effort of shifting, Kagome peered around the counter. The view was no good – nothing in sight – so she carefully slid over, inch by inch. She kept going until she could see the autopsy table, now empty. The body was gone. The intruders had taken _a dead body_. Instinct was telling her to move, to explore, to _find someone_ but she controlled the feeling, continuing to move in slow motions until finally she could peer around the corner and see nearly the whole room.

Empty.

No dead body. No intruders. Just her.

"Holy shit," Kagome whispered, using the counter as leverage to help her up. "Shit, okay." Fumbling into her small purse, Kagome grabbed her cellphone. It took four brutal, long tries before she could even unlock her phone, her hands shaking too much as adrenaline raced through her system. She dialled for the police.

And it was just as the ringtone clicked that she heard the ping of an elevator – by the employee entrance, oh god, were there more? – and the sound of laughter. Laughter?

_Laughter?_

Vaguely, Kagome heard a female voice demanding to know of her emergency on the line. But it was too much, too confusing for her to fully comprehend. Two of Sakura's staff members walked in then, coffees in hand. Their amusement died the moment their eyes landed on her.

"_What's your emergency?_" the woman on the phone demanded again, brisk and efficient.

Kagome answered, the only way that she could: "My name is Kagome Higurashi and I work at Sakura Scientific. There's been a burglary." She watched as the faces of her peers went from confused to horrified. "Someone stole a dead body."

* * *

Nothing was making any sense any more.

Kagome had given her statement so many times, it was all becoming a blur. It was easily past one in the morning, and she was shivering under her coat. Her boss had arrived and was inside dealing with whatever the police had asked of him. Even her _boss's boss_ had arrived. None of it made her feel good. They'd all talked to her, however briefly, and asked if she was okay. And really, what was there to say?

Several feet away from her, deeper in the parking lot, both Kaguya and Yura stood, huddled under some kind of blanket they'd found. Kaguya was the diener on night shift, and Yura one of the assistants. Apparently, the forensic pathologist had never made it in and they had been waiting for the coroner on-call to arrive. He had about an hour ago, extremely confused by all the emergency vehicles.

She wondered how much longer they were going to make her stay.

It was in searching down the parking lot that she saw a small commotion. A man with long white hair in a red leather jacket was striding in, and police were on radio barking something out. She couldn't really see him but with every step the remaining officers parted like the sea. Kagome wasn't even near him and she could tell the man had a strong presence, a radiating message of _back off_. Despite it, a man and a woman approached him, talking amongst themselves for a long few minutes. With nothing else to do, Kagome watched, squinting her eyes to try and get a better look. Had she met one of those cops before? Maybe he had been someone she'd given a statement to earlier.

She turned her attention back to the white-haired man and felt, in that moment, her heart stop. He was staring at her, a sort of intensity that Kagome had only ever thought was possible in the movies. Looking around herself, she knew there was no doubt about it. He was looking _at her_.

And then, he started to walk over.

It wasn't dissimilar to the adrenaline rush back in the lab, only this time it wasn't fear but a twisted kind of exhilaration. Shoving her hands in her pockets, Kagome watched the man stalk forward, the two others with him following in his wake like helpless drones. The closer he got, the more she realized just how beautiful he was: silver hair – not white – and eyes like dripping gold. Demon, too, with his notable ears, both of which were aimed at her.

"You," the man started, voice sounding vaguely irritated. "Tell me what happened."

Kagome blinked. That was rude. Was this… Was this guy for real?

He stopped just outside of arm's reach, but even that was far too close. His presence drew her in like magnetism and Kagome focused on keeping both of her feet firmly planted on the ground, unmoving. Even when he rolled his eyes and huffed, turning to the female at his side. "This one, really?"

"Ignore him," the woman stated, levelling a glare at the silver-haired demon. "He doesn't know what social pleasantries are."

"A body was stolen from a lab and you want me to ask about her day?" he retorted.

The man on the other side – black hair, blue eyes, and a calming smile – patted the other guy's shoulder. "Inuyasha, we've talked about this."

"And you know damn well what I'm going to say every time, _Miroku_."

"What he means to say," the woman cut in with yet another glare, "is that his name is Inuyasha Taisho. I'm Detective Sango Houko and the detective you've already met is Miroku Tsujitani. We were hoping to get your statement again, one last time."

Kagome grimaced, hating the way the adrenaline from just moments ago was spilling out of her like a hole in a bucket. "My story is the same every single time. Why do you need it again?"

"Because I don't trust anyone," Inuyasha replied immediately, clearly ignoring the indignation on the other detective's face. "And I want to hear it straight from the source so I'll say it again: tell me what happened."

He looked fierce. It was a strange thing to think about a man she didn't know, but Kagome couldn't ignore the intensity of his gaze, still directed at her. It wasn't a calm sort of intensity, but a calculating one. Like every word that came out of her mouth was going to be questioned and analysed and repeated, again and again and again. Without thinking, she started to tell her story one last time. "I worked the day shift earlier but one of my co-workers failed to finish a report that was due for early the next morning. Or, I guess, this morning. It was part of my responsibility to complete it so I drove over to finish it now."

"What time was your day shift?" Inuyasha asked, eyes narrowing.

"Eight until five, but I didn't leave until maybe half-past that?" Kagome shrugged. "We're a bit backlogged and I was trying to finish up as much paperwork as I could."

"And what time did you arrive tonight?"

"Just after eleven. I was having dinner with my family and only saw the text message about the unfinished report after."

It was Detective Tsujitani who spoke next, calm and collected. "Tell us what happened when you got here."

Kagome waved at her car, currently barricaded in by one of the police cruisers. "I parked my car and went to the employee entrance. The lot was pretty empty, no one around. All staff have access cards to gain entry to the building, no matter what time. I hadn't really been paying attention, but when I went to scan it, I realized it wasn't beeping. Usually it makes a sound to let you know the door has been unlocked but there was nothing. The light was green though so I figured it just malfunctioned and went straight in."

Inuyasha tapped his claws together, quick like the beat of a hummingbird's wings and clicking like a pen. Suddenly, he gestured with his head and stalked towards the employee entrance. "Come on," he called brashly, as if the whole thing had been expected. Kagome eyed the other two detectives to make sure she was, in fact, to follow. Both of them looked resigned and simply waved her forwards. It took a bit to catch up – his long strides outdoing her, especially with the head start – but he stopped just outside of the doors. He pointed at the device. "Scan away."

With one last look at the other two, Kagome scanned her card. The light turned from red to green but no sound was emitted.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and pulled open the door. He felt along the top and then the bottom, clawed hands poking at the metal. When he shut the door again and the device's light turned back to red, he opened it once more without issue. No locking mechanism then. Broken.

"Alright, get inside and talk me through it. Leave no detail out, not a single one. Even the stupid details." Inuyasha held the door open for her, leading her in. "And I'll know if you're lying."

"I'm not lying," Kagome retorted.

"You'd be surprised how often I hear that and how often they're wrong." Inuyasha rolled his eyes again when Detective Houko snorted, a grim sort of smile on her face. There was history there, obviously.

"Well, I'm not. When I got in the door, the first thing I realized was that the place seemed too quiet. Like I couldn't hear or see anyone. Usually there's music playing, or something, but to be honest I'm rarely on the night shift. I was already feeling weird about the door so I went to the main lab to see if I could find anyone. No one was around but there was a body on the table still in a bag. I thought maybe there was something wrong with it so I grabbed some gloves and checked it out."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows at her, an expression akin to surprise. "You opened the body bag?"

"Yes and I recognized it as one of the bodies that had been brought in earlier while I was on shift. I did the admittance paperwork myself."

"A Jane Doe," Detective Houko said then, opening a manila folder and handing her a photo. It was of a female corpse but it was definitely not the right one.

Frowning, Kagome shook her head. "No, not her. I don't recognize this victim."

"This was the Jane Doe that was taken according to your superior. He provided us with the paperwork." Detective Houko raised both of her eyebrows, questioning. "It's the only one that's missing from the cooler."

"What?" She couldn't help the way the word sounded: confused and defensive. "Can I see the paperwork?"

The female detective handed over the file and Kagome sorted through the transport and entry details, frowning the more she read. "This says the body came in today but that's not possible. I'm the only one that received them. The diener hasn't been available because he's so backlogged so I've been taking care of the administrative side. That's his signature, but I can promise you he didn't receive that Jane Doe. _And _that's not the body I saw in the bag. The hair and face were different. The body _I _saw was one of the ones I received today. I recognized her immediately."

"People forget faces," Inuyasha said then, the same look of irritation back on his face.

"Yeah, well, I don't. I'd have been shitty at my job, otherwise."

The demon narrowed his eyes again, that intensity back what felt like a thousand-fold. "Right. Detective, I think you have someone to talk to."

"Clearly," the female said, glaring at the file in her hands like it personally offended her. "Miroku, I'll be back. Handle this."

"Aye, aye," Detective Tsujitani replied dryly. He glanced over at Inuyasha, blue eyes practically glinting. "Booties and gear?"

The silver-haired man sighed. "If we fucking have to."

"We have to."

And that was how Kagome was practically ushered back into the main lab, interrogated again and again while wearing a jumpsuit and boot covers. Inuyasha grilled her on every single detail: exactly where she got the gloves, where the body had been located on the autopsy table, which counter she hid behind, exactly _how long _had she waited between the sound of the bay door moving and standing up to call the police. It should have been exhausting. Kagome had been tired before and it was easily nearing two in the morning, but the force of Inuyasha's gaze had her answering questions without hesitation, providing information that seemed both relevant and irrelevant. Through it all, the other detective watched, his eyes roaming over his notes every once and a while, likely making sure her story was the same.

"And you're sure that's it?" Inuyasha asked, for probably the third time. "The diener and assistant just walked in with coffee in hand?"

"They looked surprised I was there, but I couldn't really tell what they were saying when I was speaking to emergency services. I was more focused on giving them information."

Inuyasha grunted. "Try again, but think a little harder this time. Who looked more surprised by your appearance?"

The question threw her a little. "I…don't know? I don't know either of them well."

"Why?" Detective Tsujitani interjected. "You think one of them knew this was going to happen?"

Inuyasha only grunted, his golden gaze sweeping over the room. It was exactly like she thought his stare would be: inquisitive, analysing. His eyes flitted to each corner of the room before honing in on the doorway that led to the unloading area. "Has Sango confirmed the cameras were hacked?"

Detective Tsujitani groaned and Kagome was fascinated by what was clearly their professional relationship. Everything out of Inuyasha's mouth made the other detective either sigh or smile. "How the hell did you know that?"

"Three hours in and no visual confirmation on our burglars. It's not that fucking difficult, Miroku. Stop trying to test me." He dropped down to the floor, face mere inches from the tile. There were forensic markers all around, not yet removed, and the man seemed to be considering an outline of a boot print. Suddenly he popped his head up, still tucked into his position on the floor but staring right at her. "You. You told me that one of the intruders spoke."

"Yeah. He said 'Get the body and go… Sixty seconds.'" Kagome nodded to herself, remembering it correctly. To be honest, the sound of the man's voice would probably haunt her. Almost whisper soft, with such poison in each word you couldn't mistake it for anything but sheer malice.

"And you never saw either of them?"

"Too busy trying not to be found."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Well, there are only one set of footprints here, not two."

"Still need to confirm that with forensics," the detective reminded him, voice in singsong. It was probably a part of their usual ritual.

"Great. Can't wait for Koga to fuck that up."

"That's hardly fair."

"You think he's an idiot, too."

The detective sighed again, longsuffering. Kagome hid her smile.

Inuyasha disappeared then, heading towards the bay door. Kagome followed him, intrigued despite everything and watching as the man assessed every inch of the unloading area. He checked the mechanisms, the locking, the nearby solitary door and crawled on the ground some more to probably look at boot prints again.

"Anything interesting?" Kagome asked.

The man grunted once more and stood up. "Depends on what you think is interesting. Miroku!" he called, stalking back into the main lab. "Get Sango down here. I need confirmation on the fucking body already."

"Yeah I'm texting her, hold on." The black-haired man glared at the demon. "And stop being such an asshole."

Inuyasha drummed his gloved hands on the table, clearly ignoring that comment. His eyes narrowed as if he was imagining the body, still on the slab. "Too many unknowns," he muttered. "All circumstantial."

Kagome stood a bit behind him, keeping her distance and trying to remain quiet. Despite the late – or early – hour, she didn't want to go. She didn't want them to notice her and make her leave. There was something fascinating about the silver-haired man, something she couldn't pinpoint. But she wanted to stay.

And it had been… Well, it had been a while since she'd had that feeling.

When Detective Houko came down, it was to a scowl and rolled eyes. The blue-eyed detective held up his hands placatingly but said nothing. "Took you long enough," Inuyasha bit out.

"Gee, sorry I was doing my job," Detective Houko shot back, not in the least bit cowed. "Now, do you want to keep bitching or listen to what I have to say?"

"Fine. Tell me."

"Well, Dr. Inada is certain that the records I'm holding are correct, and the body in the photo is the missing victim."

"What? No!" Kagome cried out, unable to restrain herself. "That's wrong, there's no way. I stared at that body _twice _today."

"Can you remember the assigned ID?" Detective Houko asked, gentle but unapologetic. "Because Dr. Inada just showed me every body in that damn cooler, and none of them match the photo I have on hand."

"Is there an indication of homicide?" Inuyasha cut in.

"Yes. It had been given priority, apparently."

"That's not—There's no way." Kagome buried her face in her gloved hands. It didn't make sense. They were too backlogged on other priorities, too many bodies being transferred over in the last few weeks while another lab was undergoing a restructure. It just wasn't possible.

Inuyasha drummed his nails on the autopsy table again. "Were there any other details?"

"See the paperwork for yourself," the female detective suggested, passing him the folder. "The only thing of relevance was where the body was found: the Arches."

Detective Tsujitani made a confused sort of whine. "The Arches? But isn't that—"

"A popular injection site." The drumming didn't stop, a muted _tap-tap-tap_ as his gloved fingers continued their relentless song. "Opioids mostly." He snapped the file shut and then spun around. Kagome was almost nervous that his gaze was back on her, searching. "You're actually upset, aren't you?" he asked, a lilt at the end that almost made it a proper question, rather than a statement.

"Well yeah, because I'm not _lying_," Kagome stressed, shaking her head. "What reason would I have to lie?"

"We're not saying you're lying," Detective Tsujitani said gently. "But it was an intense situation. You could be remembering the details incorrectly."

"Intense situations are kind of my _thing_," Kagome snapped back, firm and blunt. Not with a raised voice, but a deadly calm one. "I'm not wrong. Dr. Inada has the wrong file."

"The average human memory on visual stimuli is only sixty-two percent accurate," Inuyasha said suddenly, breaking into the argument. His golden gaze slid up and down her body – not sexual, but analyzing, evaluating.

"And 20% of med students have pulmonary disease, but guess what? It's almost always hypochondriasis." Kagome let out a sharp exhale. What could she say that would convince them she wasn't lying? "Check the cameras. You'll see I'm right!"

"Hacked," Inuyasha reminded her. "The last forty-eight hours." He eyed Detective Houko, who sent him another one of those grim smiles.

"Seventy-two, actually."

Inuyasha snorted. "Overkill."

And despite the nonsense they were sprouting, Kagome was still stuck with no way to prove herself. It was the classic He Said, She Said, and in the end the only loser was the body that would never be found again. "Look," she said slowly, trying her best to sound convincing, "if you don't believe me, I can't make you. But I'm not wrong. I remember the face of that woman in the body bag, and it wasn't the victim in the photo you have."

Inuyasha smirked, cocking his hip on the table and crossing his arms. It was unfairly attractive. Kagome shouldn't have even _thought_ that. "Then what, exactly, do you remember of that body?" It was spoken like a dare, the challenge clear from the upturn of his nose and the sharpness of his gaze.

And Kagome was only too willing to provide. "The photo you showed me? Female, demon, black hair, oblong face. Maybe in her thirties? Dead probably within the last twenty-four to seventy-two hours. No blood on the face, but listed as a homicide victim. Hands are bagged, as well as the feet. No visual signs of maggots, _yet_." The silver-haired demon raised his eyebrows again but he didn't peek at the manila folder, didn't double-check to verify her statements. Something about that compelled her, the challenge heightened so far that she took a bold few steps towards him, standing just shy of the table. "But the victim I saw, the one I unzipped earlier? Similar, but not the same. Female, also a demon, similar age, black hair but her face was smaller, squarer. Tattoo under her breast. She'd been dead for closer to a week. There was visual evidence of maggots, her skin tone was green, the smell was far stronger and her body was bloated." She waved her hands out, palms up and questioning. Would it be enough?

Apparently so, because Inuyasha was no longer leaning on the table. His body had almost jolted up, like an electric shock had taken over. "What did the tattoo look like?"

"Uh." Kagome licked her lips, looking around the lab. She couldn't touch anything though – the male detective had warned her earlier – but Inuyasha's growl distracted her. Before she could react, the back of the manila file was in her hands, a pen with it.

"Draw on that."

"What? Inuyasha—" Detective Houko started but cut herself off, clearly seeing a losing battle.

Kagome still hesitated for a moment more before the silver-haired man tapped at the file impatiently. "Fine, uh," she mumbled, remembering the whorls and points. It had almost been like a circle, severed pieces like ying and yang with tendrils of sweeping connection. A single world scrawled in between: _totum_. Her reiteration of it was terrible at best, but she handed the file folder back anyways, trying not to be embarrassed.

Inuyasha glanced at it for only a moment, his lip curling into a near-snarl before he glared up at her. "You're sure? This is what you saw?"

"Yeah," she replied, taken aback by his harshness. "I marked it as an identifier when processing the entry paperwork. I noticed it again when I took a quick look at the body."

With a grunt, Inuyasha spun around and slammed the folder back down on the autopsy table. "Could this get any more convoluted," he muttered, nails drumming relentlessly.

Detective Tsujitani moved forward, dragging the folder closer to himself. "That looks familiar."

"It should," Inuyasha retorted, eyes closing. "_Duos mundos. Totum. _It's an old symbol that half-breeds have used over the past century as a proclamation of existence. Our missing victim wasn't a demon – she was a half-breed."

Kagome blinked, letting the information settle. Half-breeds were exceedingly rare: roughly two percent of the world's population, if that. And they were rare for a reason. For one, half-breed births were nearly always stillborn due to placental decay, an extreme form of placental abruption. The necessary oxygen and nutrients fail to be absorbed, and therefore never transferred to the baby. For another, speciesism was still alive and well, despite the past few decades actively fighting for equality.

Both of the detectives in the room were staring at Inuyasha with what could only be described as shock. They didn't say anything, though Detective Houko's expression shifted to something thunderous. She stormed towards the autopsy table to grab the folder but Inuyasha was too quick, pulling it back with a scowl.

"No," he snarled. "This is still a goddamn clue."

"It's not the body—" Kagome tried but he practically growled, that golden glare like daggers.

"Don't care. Either way, the folder stays. This whole fuck-up is clearly an inside job." He spun around, his gloved finger pointing towards the employee entrance. "It's fucking obvious. Someone needed the body they've stolen to hide evidence that couldn't be removed immediately after the killing. The victim was in the lab only a few short hours, meaning whoever was behind this had to act fast. Connections, big ones."

"Inuyasha, that's enough," Detective Tsujitani said, gesturing not-to-subtly in Kagome's direction. "Let's let our witness go home. We have her statement now."

"She's the only one here that's actually fucking useful. She stays."

The female detective glowered at him, hands landing on her belt where her badge flashed. "That's not how things work, Inuyasha. You're here—"

"Because I'm smarter than everyone else," Inuyasha snapped back. "Now's not the time for a power play, Sango."

"That wasn't what I was doing." But her posture immediately shifted, hands falling to her sides and gaze softening. All Kagome could do was watch and listen, torn between volunteering to leave and demanding to stay. To solve the mystery, and to learn more about the man who was growling his way through it.

"Give me twenty minutes," Inuyasha demanded then. "She stays twenty more minutes."

Kagome had no idea why her presence in the next twenty minutes was integral, but she didn't say anything. She simply watched as the female detective grudgingly nodded her head. "Fine. But only twenty."

The scowl was slowly replaced with a smirk and while Kagome didn't know the man, she'd say it was smug as hell. "That's all I need." His golden eyes flicked her way before focusing back on the detectives before him, fingers once again together. "Now, it would have been easy enough to hack into the systems here. Government-funded but old, and these systems are antiquated. It would've taken nothing to hack through the security and set a virus onto the cameras. Deleting the last three days is a weak attempt at throwing us off. There's no way this was a coincidence and given the body only arrived earlier today, any false trails laid in the way of protecting our killer were done in the last eight to ten hours. One of the two women outside working tonight are in on it, but likely no more than pawns. Paid off. An assistant and a diener? Low-income jobs and this is a costly area. Probably a cash transaction – no paper trail and easy enough to hide. Considering the massive scene of cops and the evidence that shows this was meant to be done under the radar without anyone noticing, I suspect any down payment has been removed. Whoever the pawn is won't have a real name of their provider; too dumb to ask. A dead end. A person probably approached them on the street – on the way to the bank or their favourite coffee shop, either works. They'll have a vague idea of what the person looks like but again, 62% accuracy so my hopes are virtually nonexistent considering the IQ of the morons out there. They would have worn hats or sunglasses, something to help conceal basic physical traits. You'll get nothing there.

"But the break-in itself – clever, and likely would have gone off perfectly had _this one _not shown up."

"My name's Ka—"

"Doesn't matter. No, what does matter is the connections needed to infiltrate on such a level of stealth. With cameras and security down, anyone could walk in and out without being seen. The problem is with the body. Coolers are nothing more than a massive puzzle box of slabs and IDs. Even hacking the system to get an ID would do nothing for any intruder. Details are on the tags, on the bodies, so useless. No, they needed someone on the inside to bring the body out which was why it was on the table." He whirled around again, almost a full circle so his silver hair flew with it. "You said there was evidence of maggots."

"Uh, yes. Mouth, chest—"

"So the body hadn't been cleaned yet," Inuyasha interrupted, already shifting back to the detectives before him. "No diener interference means no blood work, no toxicology, no DNA, nothing. Our pawn merely had to remove the right body and fix any physical paperwork trail. Simple enough with a hacker that could remove what Kagome earlier created and falsify the necessary details."

"That's great and all, but then where did this body come from?" Detective Houko asked, pointing at the folder.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Without actual evidence it's hard to say but I'd guess it was never here to begin with. Or hasn't been here in years. A Jane Doe cold case."

Detective Tsujitani hummed. "This whole night is a damn mess, but his theory is more sound than anything Sakura Scientific has been able to give us."

"_Theory_, which means we've got no fucking evidence," Detective Houko shot back, unimpressed. "And until then, every single angle has to be looked at, including the Jane Doe in the file."

Kagome saw the silver-haired demon smirk, something vicious. "Well I'd never tell you how to do your jobs."

A snort was the only response. Detective Houko looked up to the ceiling, as if it would give her anything useful. "We'll bring everyone in for questioning."

"Lean on the assistant," Inuyasha stated. "But watch the diener. As much as one of them are a part of this, they probably know nothing of value. They were likely provided with the photograph. All they had to do was bring out the body and attach the photo with the paperwork hacked into the system, effectively dotting the I's and crossing the T's. A mule for physical evidence."

"But while we're putting on pressure, whoever has the real body is getting further away," the male detective announced, clearly unhappy. "And if you're right, we'll have nothing to go on."

"And he's always right," Detective Houko sighed.

Inuyasha grunted. "Not nothing. Do the two of you really forget that easily? She's standing right the fuck here." And it shouldn't have surprised her when he twisted to face her fully, gaze intense. "You saw the body. The _real _body."

"I'm an assistant," Kagome stressed. "A new one. Not a pathologist. I can't give you cause of death."

He waved that off like it meant absolutely nothing, face once again expressing something vaguely irritable. "Stop trying to sound like a complete idiot. You got a good look at the body. Did you see any bruising, cuts, blood—"

"With the gasses so built up—"

"_You're not a complete idiot_," Inuyasha snapped, sounding for all the world like he meant the opposite. "What the fuck did you see?"

"No bruising," Kagome exclaimed, the words echoing out of her mouth before she had consciously made the decision to answer. "I only saw the upper half of her, but her arms didn't have any of the telltale signs of a user. But there was blood in her hair – a lot of it. Nothing that would have leaked out of her forcibly post-mortem, which means—"

"A head wound."

"And not a clean one either," Kagome finished. "Not a bullet."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow and smirked, pointing at her. "See? I'm always fucking right."

Detective Tsujitani groaned, his blue eyes rolling. "Not this again."

"Round them up for questioning, detectives," Inuyasha called, walking out of the main lab without anything like a wave or a goodbye. His red leather jacket glinted in the artificial light; the veneer of body armour Kagome only wish she had. "You've got work to do."

And then he was gone, leaving Kagome alone with the two other detectives who simply stared at her.

"Is he always…" Kagome swallowed, not really sure how to finish that question.

"Yeah," Detective Tsujitani supplied. "Literally always."

* * *

The darkness didn't want to let her go. It was heavy, thick, like wading through molasses. Yet there was no urgency to resurface so Kagome simply let herself float. She was warm, and safe, and so, _so tired_.

But there was something at the very edges, something rhythmic and persistent. _Thump-thump-thump-thump_. A pause. Quiet, once more. _Thump-thump-thump_.

Groaning, Kagome shifted deeper into her mattress, eyes pressed tight against the softness of her pillow case. Not yet. She didn't want to get up yet, it was too—

Like a shot, she bolted upright, the memories of last night – _this morning_ – flooding her brain. She had gotten home late, barely an hour before the sunrise. Blearily she searched for her alarm clock, taking a long moment to squint out the numbers. It was just a bit before nine in the morning. Letting out a whimper, Kagome lowered back down onto the bed, closing her eyes. She didn't have work and she had nowhere to be. It was far too early to be awake. Why had she even woken up in the—

And then, again, the thumping. Or more accurately, the knocking at her front door. That was what woke her up. With a muttered curse, Kagome fumbled out of the cocoon of sheets, thinking that it could be the police, or maybe one of those detectives or… Whoever. Too many options. Kagome was not a morning person, and four hours of sleep was _not enough_.

Throwing on a robe, she shuffled to the front door, rubbing desperately at her eyes to try and wake up. Shifting over the deadbolt, she then unlocked the door and opened it. And that, she realized, was a mistake.

Because on the other side of that door was the silver-haired demon, his red leather jacket practically blaring at her compared to the beige, bland walls of her complex's hallways.

"You didn't even check the peephole," Inuyasha accused, face twisted in a snarl.

"I—"

"Get dressed," he snapped, pushing past her to saunter into her apartment. "We need to leave."

Maybe it was the cobwebs clinging in her brain, still heavy from sleep. Maybe it was the strangeness of it all. For a moment, she actually considered if the whole thing was a dream. But then Inuyasha spun around in that quick, demonic way of his, a growl building up in his throat.

"Did you hear me?"

"I don't know what you're even doing here," she answered honestly, hand still stupidly holding on to the doorknob. "Why are you—"

"You're going to die and you're going to die soon," Inuyasha stated, that gaze as intense as ever. "So if you'd like to live, I'd hurry the fuck up and listen to me."

* * *

**Next Time on _Deductions:_**

_Because there was no doub_t _about it. It was the building that had exploded, the triplex smoking its dust and fumes into the air. _

_A faked gas explosion. Inuyasha almost couldn't believe that level of brilliance._

_And then he realized: the doctor. _

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

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* * *

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	3. (2) Basic Observation

**Author's Note:** Still having a rough time with my wrists and elbow sprain but I'll be back in action soon enough. Luckily this chapter only needed minor revisions so I'm able to post it.

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 2: Basic Observation_

* * *

Long black hair, ruffled and unkempt. Dark brown eyes, wide, earnest and blinking rapidly. The woman before him seemed to process what he was saying at an alarmingly slow rate. She'd just woken up then. Wonderful. A part of the plan, though he had hoped she'd be a little quicker than _this_. Inuyasha held back his scowl and did a slow turn of the apartment. It was small – and that was being generous – but the open-concept made it less claustrophobic. He took in every detail, hoarding it like a man dying of thirst. He had turned to try and peer into her bedroom when she finally spoke, tightly wound but ultimately calm.

"There's a threat out against me?" Kagome asked. She shut her door, closing the two of them in. With the only light coming from the cracks in the blinds, it made the room a muzzy grey, dark in the shadows.

He grunted. "Not exactly but you'll be dead if we don't get out of here all the same."

"Where are your partners?"

It took him a moment to catch-up, to realize what she was even talking about. He frowned. "Miroku and Sango? I'm not _police_."

His tone was more than enough to convey how he felt about that, enough so that Kagome actually rolled her eyes at him. "Well you work with them! If you think I'm going to get killed, why aren't they here too, huh?"

"Because like always, the police are in over their heads," Inuyasha stated, crossing his arms. "They don't think you're in any danger but simply looking at the evidence suggests otherwise. Now, _get dressed_."

It was almost a physical thing, the way he watched her expression close off and practically dig her heels into the hardwood. Her hands wrapped around the upper part of her robe. "Not until you tell me what's going on. I don't know anything about you and you don't know anything about _me_. You can't just show up at someone's door, barge your way in and demand things. That's not how the world works."

"Oh, I'm very fucking aware," Inuyasha snapped. "But like I said yesterday, stop trying to act like you're a complete idiot. You know more about me than you think. I assist the police on cases, though no one on the force is overly fond of me. There are two exceptions: Miroku is extremely easy going and Sango likes results, therefore she likes me. But I don't work with anyone else. I'm smart, and while I'm sure your intelligence is above average, it's nowhere near mine."

Kagome blinked at him. "I don't think—"

"_The point is_ that two detectives clearly trust me with cases, which implies I'm one of the good guys. If I was some idiot or abuser or killer and was caught, everything I'd have ever done for them goes to shit. So you do know me. Problem solved.

"As for _you_, you're an open book. Early thirties going through a massive career crisis. The police have been addressing you wrong this whole time, isn't that right, Dr. Higurashi?" The woman before him actually took a step back but there was nothing like fear in her eyes. Curiosity, thrill— Inuyasha found _that_ extremely interesting. "Once a doctor at Fairview General but now a lowly assistant at Sakura Scientific. You didn't get fired, you _quit_; regardless, you were one of the best. Now that you've quit, you feel guilty about it, especially when it comes to your mother. But you quit for a good reason: it was suffocating you. It always had been, which is why you blow all of your money on your family and not yourself, as recompense. Now, I think that's enough pleasantries to go on so for _fuck's sake_, can you get some proper clothes on?"

For a long moment, Kagome was completely still. Her dark brown eyes were unerringly focused on him and he could practically hear the wheels turning. Finally, like a cloud lifted, her dark eyes met his and she grimaced. "Shit."

Like a tornado on touchdown, it was all a flurry of movement and sound. The black-haired beauty disappeared like a shot down the hallway and into her bedroom, shutting the door most of the way. He could hear the sound of her robe falling, clothes being shed, drawers opening… "How much time do we have?" she called out, stirring him out of his train of thought.

He reflected for a moment. "It's hard to say. Both of the women you worked with that night have been released, and neither of them said a word. Both say they're innocent."

"And?"

"And what?" Inuyasha asked. "It's obviously bullshit. One of them was in on it."

The bedroom door opened again, and it was like a completely different person was standing there. It wasn't the change in outfit, or anything as vain or materialistic as that. But it was her expression, the depth of her eyes. The seriousness, like her brain was honed on the new task at hand and wouldn't let go unless forced. She had processed her situation and accepted it.

It was almost better than he had expected, especially after the rocky start.

"You really think my life is in danger?" she asked.

"Why else would I come?" Inuyasha snarked, rolling his eyes to the ceiling.

The woman stared at him for a second more, eyes flitting up and down before she blinked hard and flurried once more into movement. "No idea. So what does Kaguya and Yura's release have to do with my danger?"

"_Think_ about it," Inuyasha pressed. "If one of them is in on it—"

"Then they'll tell whoever they're working for that I know. That I was there and that I saw." Kagome's face grew pinched as she fled into her bathroom. "Loose ends."

"Exactly. The plan was contingent on no one knowing anything had happened. No body, no paperwork, a backlogged lab overburdened with the additional output from a neighbouring region… The job was in and out, with only one inside person paid off and a freelance hacker to do the rest. But you killed it the moment you were inside."

"And I called the cops."

Inuyasha smirked, a strange feeling of pleasure curling in his gut. "See? When you stop trying to act like an idiot like the rest of the population, you're not terrible."

"Not _terrible_," Kagome laughed from the other room. "Wow, thanks." And just like that she reappeared, heading towards her apartment's door. There was a backpack sitting by a tiny closet, and she bent down to shove a few things inside of it. It was small, neat, and as Kagome zipped it up he figured it was likely what she took to the hospital when working extra long shifts, beyond the ordinary. It would have to do.

"Are you ready?" he asked, checking once more to make sure all of the curtains were still fully closed and hiding them before heading towards the doorway. "I'm going to leave and you'll count to ten. You'll take the back exit – the one by the garage bins – and I'll be waiting with my motorcycle. Get on and don't look back. There's no time to pause."

Looping her purse around her body, Kagome nodded. Inuyasha took the moment to stare at her, to try and read more from the woman before him. A situation like this demanded a berth of emotional responses, and fear and terror and hysteria were always top of the list. But nothing like that was bleeding out of her. Her gaze was steady, hands unshaking. She had been an ER doctor after all. Like a whisper, he remembered words spoken only a few hours ago: _intense situations are kind of my thing_.

Well, he'd see how long that lasted.

With a nod, he fled her apartment. He kept his pace even, though quick. He wasn't by any means famous, and while he was certainly working on the case, he highly doubted either of the two women from Sakura Scientific would have pointed him out to their secondary employer. He hadn't interacted with them and therefore there was no reason for anyone to be on the lookout for him.

Yet.

His silver and red motorcycle waited for him, half-hidden by the large metal bins in the alley. He wasted no time, throwing his helmet on and getting it in place as he lifted the stand and turned the ignition. It was a familiar balancing act – hardly the first time he'd had to flee a scene – and he was just about to start the engine when there was an explosion. Loud and horrific, the very ground beneath his feet shaking. He almost fell with the bike, hands bracing the bars as his head whipped towards the back entrance.

Because there was no doubt about it. It was the building that had exploded, the triplex smoking its dust and fumes into the air.

A faked gas explosion. Inuyasha almost couldn't believe that level of brilliance.

And then he realized: the doctor.

"God_damn _it," he hissed, kicking back down the stand when the rear door swung open and the black-haired woman came stumbling out, clutching her head. He couldn't smell anything beyond the explosion, but it wasn't hard to see the blood matting her locks and staining her hand. He went to her, his hand lifting her chin to get a better look. A gash right at the top, but with too much blood to tell if it needed stitches or not.

"What the _fuck_?" Kagome demanded, wincing. "What was that?"

"Your murder attempt," Inuyasha replied. "Are you dizzy? Nauseous?"

"Just in pain," she answered. "I was at the back door when it happened. The ceiling fell and something hit me."

"If you'd been any closer, you'd probably be dead." Wrapping his arm around her waist, Inuyasha all but dragged her to his motorcycle. "We need to leave. Hold on as tight as you can. If you get dizzy, hit me."

"Shouldn't we wait for the cops?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "That's a stupid question but I'll blame the blood loss."

In the distance, there were sirens. Too far away and with the explosion so recent, there was no telling if anyone was watching to be sure of the doctor's death. He strained to listen for footsteps, shouts – anything abnormal – but the creaking triplex was far too loud and his helmet blocked the more minute sounds. Without hesitation, he started his bike and gestured impatiently for Kagome to get on, only waiting to make sure her arms were tight and locked around his middle before taking off.

He went to the only place he knew would be secure, weaving through traffic without care and paying close attention to the woman's arms around him. Traffic was still heavy in the city, rush hour not yet died down despite the hour. It was for the better anyways; Kagome's lack of a helmet made him almost nervous, a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach he wanted to forget. He forged his way through, doing not-strictly-legal passes and riding the edge of the roadway until the familiar building came into sight. He pulled his motorcycle into the nearby alleyway, rolling until the underground garage could be seen. He entered his code and pulled inside, almost uncomfortably aware of just how tightly Kagome was now holding him thanks to the stuffiness of the garage.

He stopped the bike and waited, but Kagome didn't move. She didn't get off, or loosen her grip, or anything. Trying to get a better look at her, he twisted his head but it was no use. Her face was pressed into his back, her body a long line of heat down it. "Hey," he said, voice overly loud in the underground park. "We're here."

It still took a moment. There was a shift as the woman looked up, body slow to move as eventually her arms loosened. She barely stumbled as she shifted off of the bike, her expression immediately grimacing as she looked at him. "I got blood on your jacket."

Unable to stop himself, Inuyasha snorted. "Wouldn't be the first time that's happened." He removed his helmet and left it, heading towards the elevators and punching in the familiar code. It chimed right away, the metal doors opening. It was only then he realized that Kagome wasn't by his side, still closer to the motorcycle and looking a little lost. Her face was too pale but she wasn't in shock, not yet anyways. Inuyasha wouldn't have much time. "Come on," he urged, gesturing at her impatiently. "We don't have all day."

"Where are we?" she demanded. She didn't take a step closer.

"My place. Trust me, it's the safest place is this whole goddamn city, and that includes the police station." He hoped he didn't sound bitter for it but if the woman caught on, she didn't say anything. Whipping out his phone, he sent a line of text.

[Outgoing Message to Miroku Tsujitani - 06/12/2019, 9:37 AM]

_Get your ass over here. I have her._

"Hurry up, the elevator isn't going to sit here all day," he stated.

It would, actually, but the lie got Kagome moving so he counted it as a win. The black-haired beauty came in, her dark brown eyes roaming every inch of the non-descript box. They landed on the single button, which Inuyasha pressed. He ignored the inquisitive stare she was aiming at him, electing to pay more attention to his vibrating phone. One message, no— Two.

[Incoming Message]

_Who the hell is her?_

_Oh god, what aren't you telling me? What happened?_

He smirked and didn't respond. The detective would put the pieces together soon enough.

The elevator doors opened and he sauntered in, tossing his leather jacket into the empty sink. The sound of Kagome's light footsteps posed only a slight distraction, the stutter-step a minor worry. She was the only lead the case had and putting her in a hospital would make it nearly impossible to keep her safe. Without her, whatever the hell crime happened at Sakura Scientific would go up in smoke, a lost cause. And Inuyasha _hated _those.

"This is…yours?"

The question threw him a bit. Who the hell talked about houses when they were bleeding? But apparently Kagome was an endless bundle of curiosity, her dark eyes still roaming the place with purpose. The open-concept kitchen, living room and gym. The stairs leading up towards the two bedrooms and bathroom. A converted triplex, with the first floor containing a somewhat decent café downstairs, and the rest belonging all to him. Inuyasha cast a cursory glance around the space once more, trying to see what she was with his own eyes.

Riches, probably. Space. Lived-in and somewhat messy.

"Yeah," he answered. "Now sit down at the table before you fall over. You're getting blood on the tile."

She looked down, frowning. "No, I'm not."

"You _will_," he hissed, shooting her a glare. "So just sit down, will you?"

"You're really rude," Kagome stated.

Statement, not a question. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and headed to the bathroom upstairs where he knew the first aid kit would be. It was one of the monstrous ones, equipped with everything under the sun. The white box was discoloured, old and well-used. As he held it in his hands, he wondered briefly if it was time for a new one before discarding the thought and heading downstairs. No one else was as smart as him. No one else would ever make the connections he could clearly see between the first-aid kit and his life.

Well, past life.

A startled gasp had him looking up sharply, Kagome's eyes startled and wide and focused on him. She seemed incredulous and it wasn't until she looked specifically up the stairs that he realized he did what he normally did in his own home and leapt the railing. It was a miniscule drop – hardly anything – but it clearly threw the woman off. She seemed immediately embarrassed, rubbing at her eyes. "Sorry, sorry. I just wasn't expecting that."

"Surrounded by a lot of humans, are you?" he asked.

"Not really," Kagome admitted, looking even more awkward. "But it's always in a hospital or a lab, so demonic speed or strength isn't as overt as what you just did." Laughing at little, she shook her head. "Sorry, it's just been a weird morning."

"Almost getting blown up is a pretty good excuse."

Her laughter didn't subside. If anything, it got worse, unstoppable chuckles that shook her frame and made her drop her head down, hiding her face. Now… Now he was alarmed. What the hell was going on? "Hey, I need to check your head so this? Has to stop."

That seemed to make things even funnier. Her shoulders shook and then her head tilted back, a bearing of the long line of her pale throat. Her eyelashes glittered with unshed tears but she was still breathlessly laughing. "Sorry – god, sorry. This is just—Too much. I witnessed a dead body being stolen and then almost got blown up, only to be treated by a demon for a head wound. Who knew the world was this crazy?"

Inuyasha huffed, irritated. "Can you stop?"

"Just clean it and take a picture of the cut. I'll tell you if I need stiches or not. We don't exactly heal the same way. Unless you're also secretly a doctor, not just a detective, which I wouldn't be surprised by." She hummed then, dark brown eyes focusing on him with a sun's intensity. "Or maybe I would be."

He had no idea what the hell she was talking about. Opening the medical kit, he grabbed some gauze and tilted her head so that the light shone best on her wound. It was still bleeding, and it didn't appear to have anything in it. Covering it with gauze, he placed firm pressure on it, ducking to check Kagome's responsiveness.

It was difficult to see though, because the black-haired beauty was staring intently at the medical kit. There was a frown there, a complete one-eighty compared to her giggling from before. "This is a human kit," she stated. "You're using a human kit."

"You're a human," he replied, the _obviously _going unsaid but clearly heard anyways.

"But… This has been restocked," Kagome continued. "The brands aren't standard and this kit is… It's old. But it's _human_." Inuyasha could practically hear the gears in her head turning, processing and trying to put two and two together. "You shouldn't have a human kit."

Inuyasha didn't say anything to that. "Hold the gauze."

She did so, dark eyes narrowing at him. Inuyasha could tell exactly what she was looking at – his eyes, his ears, his canines. None of them were indicators though, indistinguishable. You couldn't tell a half-breed apart from a pure-blood, with the exception of the new moon. But it seemed like in that moment, she knew. Slowly this doctor was reading him like a book, unafraid of the distance.

Interesting.

"The police will be here soon," Inuyasha explained, stepping away to wash his hands. "Once they figure things out. It's not going to matter though; they won't be able to protect you."

"But someone tried to kill me."

"It'll have been made to look like a gas explosion. A maintenance issue and nothing more. Purely coincidence." Inuyasha shook his head. "Whoever you exposed by witnessing the burglary, they have massive connections. The work would've been done within the hour of your co-workers being released."

"My… You actually think Kaguya or Yura did it?" she exclaimed, horrified. What he had stated earlier in her apartment hadn't really sunk in then, that someone from the lab had to have betrayed her.

"Think?" Inuyasha scoffed. "I know. They were released from holding around six in the morning. Whoever our insider is, they'd be panicking. It was never a part of the plan to be pulled into the police station and whoever employed them for this would've seen the shitshow of sirens. They would've made contact and given you up."

"But they don't even know where I live," Kagome stated. "I barely know either of them!"

"All they'd need is a name." Inuyasha drummed his fingers along the counter top and then huffed out an exhale. Still, so much data with loose connections at best. All circumstantial and no solid evidence. Forensics needed to get a fucking move on. Grabbing a cloth, he turned the tap back on and started to clean his leather jacket carefully, removing the blood.

He was lost in his thoughts, brain swirling with the details of the case and the lack of answers despite all the information. Kagome remained silent throughout, clearly processing the situation she was in. Not a good one, not by a long stretch.

"I'm going to check this out," she said softly. "Bathroom?"

"There's one down here, by the treadmill." He gestured roughly with his head, hands drying on a towel.

She murmured her thanks and disappeared. Inuyasha finished with his jacket and moved towards the kit, pulling out the bandages she'd likely want. In the end, the doctor didn't have many options. Faked gas explosion would mean the police's hands were tied, unless forensics found anything. He doubted it; the age of the triplex plus Kagome's position on the first floor meant significant damage. What that left them with was their case's best chance at body identification, staring down the barrel of a gun. Without police protection or an offer, she'd be alone.

There _was _one option, though Inuyasha hated to even think about it.

[Incoming Message from Sango Houko – 06/12/2019 10:11AM]

_Why the hell didn't you say anything? This is withholding, Inuyasha._

_We're on our way._

[Outgoing Message]

_Took you long enough to figure it out._

The closing of the medicine cabinet was a sharp sound compared to the silence of the apartment. Inuyasha pressed his lips together. A large part of him was irritated – this was exactly why he didn't bring people into his home – but there was another part. A smaller part, sure, but a part that was almost impressed by the doctor. The woman was smart. When he had first seen her and first talked to her, she'd been about as unimpressive as could be. Staring without any worthwhile response. But she'd been detail-oriented and gave information readily whereas Inuyasha normally had to fight for it.

And then there had been the little things. The things she said: _And 20% of a med students have pulmonary disease, but guess what? It's almost always hypochondriasis. _The things she did: watching but not intruding, speaking not to contradict or question him but aid him. And that, but itself, was enough to make her interesting.

Different.

Inuyasha wasn't surprised when she came out of the bathroom, wound looking a little cleaner than before but with an expression of guilt. That dark gaze of hers was assessing but he could see it in her body language, as clear as day: she knew.

"You're a half-breed," Kagome stated. Not questioned. She hadn't even rambled her way up to it. She just came out with it and strangely, he appreciated that most of all.

He nodded, crossing his arms and giving nothing away. "You weren't even suspicious until I brought out the first aid kit."

"Demons never have human kits," Kagome echoed from earlier. "And it didn't look like you lived with anyone else."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "What makes you think that?"

"It's all one colour scheme." Kagome shrugged, almost self-consciously. "I mean, I could have been wrong but you clearly like black and red. All of the stuff lying around is either black or red. If there was someone else here, there would be other colours. Their stuff lying around like yours was. That and the bathroom only has one of everything."

He nodded at her. "And?"

She winced. "I wasn't trying to snoop but I saw the Imitex. Sumatriptan isn't even an option for demons because their bodies process it so quickly. I was confused but then I saw the dosage…" She shrugged. "That kind of power is only available to half-breeds."

"If we get any medical treatment at all," Inuyasha couldn't help but add, disdain and bitterness in his tone.

Kagome looked down at the ground and nodded, keeping silent.

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha scoffed. "Don't be so dramatic, that wasn't directed towards you."

"I _am _a doctor, remember?" Kagome pointed out.

"And I can read you like a book, _remember_?" he replied. "Just come here and get a bandage. There's more blood already."

Wincing, Kagome came back to the kitchen's island and sat down on one of the stools. Inuyasha grabbed more gauze to wipe away the sluggish addition of blood before grabbing a band-aid. "Hold your bangs away," he ordered, waiting for her to sweep up the black locks before putting the seal on. "There."

"Thanks," she murmured, letting her hands drop. Inuyasha stepped away, heading towards the sink to wash his hands once more. "How did you know all that stuff about me, by the way?" Kagome asked into the silence. "You knew things that are like, impossible to know."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Hardly. It's written all over you."

"'Cause I'm an open book, yeah, you've mentioned." When he twisted back around, the woman was smiling at him, amused. "But seriously. How?"

"It's basic observation." Inuyasha shrugged. "Figuring out you were a doctor was simple. You said several things this morning that alluded to it. The easiest was your statement of hypochondriasis, otherwise known as second year syndrome. Medical students often suffer from the very things they're studying – to your point, pulmonary disease. So you were a medical student but that wouldn't detract from your position at Sakura Scientific. No. It was strange that you were merely an assistant but there are a variety of reasons that could have happened. But then you said something: that you would've been terrible at your job if you didn't notice details about a person's body. Past tense, meaning you weren't referring to your current employment. A shift of careers then."

"That doesn't mean I'm in a… What did you call it? A career crisis?"

Inuyasha gave her an unimpressed look. "You suffered years of schooling and residency, only to give up in your thirties. Of course it's a career crisis." Kagome groaned and buried her head in her hands but he didn't stop there. "You had flagged your car when we were speaking. A 2017 model purchased new, which means you had the money to afford it though your clothing choices are mid-brand at best, clearly older. You don't see the value of spending money on clothes. Why? Because you're always in scrubs. Rules out that you went into pharmaceuticals. So doctor, then. A good one, too, based on your understanding of our missing victim. A fast learner, surely, based on your expertise given a two-year contract as a forensic assistant. Miroku had to pull your file, so your address was available. Given the odd and long hours of hospital work you likely lived as close as possible – Fairview General, then."

"That's—" Kagome shook her head. "And the thing about my mom?"

Inuyasha sighed. "Easy. You have photos of her in your apartment but none of them are in easy viewing distance. You don't like the visual reminder. Yet it's not because of a lack of love; the dinner you took them out to last night was a nice restaurant and you paid for the whole thing. Your receipt was under your keys by the door. So you take care of her but can't look at her. Guilt, and you use the money you made to try and ease the burden of it.

"You're a hard worker, dedicated, and can't leave things alone. Simple enough to figure out considering you went back to the lab at eleven at night to complete a report for your boss, despite the fact you're getting paid pennies compared to what you were making. Even if your mother paid for your schooling, you would have paid her back by now. The guilt isn't financial, it's emotional. I would guess, though it's a pretty big leap, that it's because your father was a doctor and you were supposed to follow in his footsteps."

"You shouldn't have been able to guess that."

"The only photo that was in view, right by the television, was of a small child and an adult, clearly related. The child was holding a stethoscope – a real one." Inuyasha shrugged. "It's not hard to make the leap that he was your father."

The apartment fell into silence. Kagome simply stared at him, too many emotions on her face for Inuyasha to successful parse through. Astonishment was one, clearly. A touch of dread. But before he could try to analyse more, the black-haired beauty shook her head again and smiled. "That— I can't believe it. I knew you were insanely smart but that— That's amazing."

"Amazing?" Inuyasha asked, baffled.

"Yeah, amazing. Those were such tiny things. The view of my picture frames? A receipt?" She huffed out a laugh.

Now this… This was a surprise. He frowned. "It's basic observing. It's not amazing."

Kagome laughed again and it made her look younger, strangely. "You can't change my mind, even if I'm only above average intelligence."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something – something just as smart as her clear repetition of his earlier words – when there was a sharp knock at the door. Inuyasha felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and knew it had to be Sango. Hopefully she brought Miroku, too. Sometimes she could get to be a little much without the other detective's softer presence. "Stay there," he told Kagome, pushing away from the counter to head to the door.

"Is it the police?" she asked, starting to frown.

"Yeah, but if it's Sango that enters first there will be a hell of a lot of yelling." Inuyasha tapped the screen by his door and stared at the camera footage of the two familiar detectives on the stairway. Sango was closest to the door. Damn it.

"For fuck's sake, don't yell," Inuyasha said loudly, hoping they would be paying attention enough to hear.

Then again, Inuyasha thought as he opened it and Sango came flying through, she'd have to actually want to listen to him. And that was typically a rare occurrence. Today was not one of those times.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Sango snapped, those magenta eyes of hers flashing. "You can't just take a fucking witness to a crime and run away with her!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and scowled hard enough to make her question if yelling at him was the right decision. "First of all, you're welcome for keeping your fucking witness alive in the first place. If it wasn't for me, the whole goddamn case would be over. Secondly, she was fucking targeted. What was I going to do, stick my thumb up my ass and wait for her to get shot in the fucking head?"

"We had to find out our witness was _attacked_ by looking up the address!" Sango retorted. "You could have just told us. You were texting Miroku."

"Because you love it _so much _when I do your jobs for you, right?" At Sango's jaw setting tightly, Inuyasha smirked with grim satisfaction. "That's what I thought."

"The two of you need to calm the hell down." Miroku forcibly stepped between them, his blue eyes practically begging Inuyasha to back away. He didn't. "What's important is that the witness is safe."

"For now," Inuyasha stated, ignoring the way Sango's eyes narrowed. "But you both know as well as I do that the investigation they're doing is showing only signs of a gas leak. A faulty line causing an explosion isn't enough evidence that she was targeted."

"I can be charming," Miroku said firmly, pressing a hand against Inuyasha's chest. It wouldn't have moved him if he didn't want to, but at that point he conceded. The smell of dust and grime on them was starting to bother his nose anyways.

"You're charming to your one judge friend who grants you ridiculous warrants. Your captain doesn't find you charming in the least and he'd have to sign off." Inuyasha shook his head. "Here is the safest place for her." He listened as Kagome left the stool and headed towards them, her face pale and stark against the band-aid. Sparing her a glance, he tightened his lips and looked back at the two detectives. "There wasn't a lot of choice."

With that, Sango sighed heavily. "With you, there rarely is." It wasn't exactly an insult, but Inuyasha knew it certainly wasn't any kind of compliment. "Miroku and I aren't assigned to this, but we've requested with our sergeant to be kept in the know. The moment we find anything out, we'll tell you."

"Are you okay?" Miroku asked and Inuyasha could only watch as the detective headed towards Kagome, gaze concerned as he checked her over. "Concussion?"

"Don't think so but I'll be careful in case," she replied, lightly touching her head. "If Inuyasha hadn't gotten me, I'd be dead."

Miroku hummed and raised an eyebrow, directly on him. "How did you know?"

"About the gas explosion? I didn't. But the theft was made specifically to elude everyone. No one would know the body was gone so there was no crime ever committed. She's a loose end and anyone with this level of planning and connections would do what they could immediately." Inuyasha drummed his nails against his other ones, the clacking sound loud in the otherwise quiet apartment. "This limits their options. Trying to kill her again will be too obvious that there's something that needs to be covered up. They're trying to avoid exposure, not paint a big arrow towards it."

"You think they'll try again?" Kagome asked. Despite how tired she looked, she didn't appear scared. Inuyasha searched her face for any mask before giving up.

"Probably. Possibly." He grunted and shrugged. "Hard to say."

"We'll need you both to come to the station," Miroku stated. "Give statements for what happened this morning."

Inuyasha scowled. "Not for another couple hours. You and I both know that's how long it'll take for the team to finish and I'm sure as hell not waiting around the police station, bored."

"That's not how it works," Sango complained.

"So, what, we'll just let her sit in a police station for hours doing nothing until the assigned detective comes back?" He snorted. "As if. Call her when it's necessary."

"I can go—"

"Oh please, all you've wanted to do for the last hour is go to bed," Inuyasha interrupted, uncaring. "Take the out. They'll just waste your time anyways."

"It's police procedure," Sango muttered between clenched teeth.

"Yeah, well, police procedure is going to give us two unsolvable cases because of all the bureaucratic bullshit. You can't hunt for a body in the lake, and now you'll let our only witness go outside where she can get shot to death." Inuyasha smirked but it was far from friendly. "It's a fucking miracle you get anything done at all."

Miroku sighed. Inuyasha saw the bags under his eyes, the twitch of his right hand like he was resisting the urge to clench and unclench it, over and over again. The man was nothing if not consistent. "We had nothing but a ring and your circumstantial evidence to go on. We couldn't find a body."

"Then fucking look harder," Inuyasha snapped. "Christ, no wonder I have to do your jobs for you. Now get out. You're irritating me."

"_We're _irritating _you_?" Sango demanded, incredulous.

"Yes." Inuyasha herded them back towards the door, opening it and glaring. "Now out."

Kagome chose that moment to try and be kind, of course she did. "But I can—"

"No, stop talking," Inuyasha cut her off. "If you leave this house, you'll probably die."

He watched as within seconds the woman seemed to shore up her defenses. Her shoulders grew tight with tension, chest puffing up and chin lifting to better meet his gaze. "What makes this place so safe then?" she retorted.

"A lot of unnecessary and stupid security," he replied, and despite Miroku trying to stay within the doorway, Inuyasha slammed it shut on him. "Here is the best place to be."

"Aren't you the one that put up the _unnecessary _and _stupid _security?" she asked, confusion evident.

Grabbing his leather jacket, Inuyasha threw it on. "No."

"No?"

"No." Inuyasha checked his phone, searching Google Maps until he figured out exactly where he was heading. A quick check since the police were clearly so tied up in useless red tape. He wasn't about to let another case go cold, regardless of what Miroku or Sango thought. They were just lucky he helped out at all. Heading towards the elevator, he pressed the button, golden eyes still on the screen.

"Are you…going somewhere?"

Inuyasha blinked, staring at the metal doors of the elevator as he remembered. Right. _Yes_. The doctor. He had no idea how he forgot. He was literally just speaking with her.

The thought made him frown and turn around. "I'll be back."

"You're leaving me alone?" Kagome asked, voice a mixture of horror and confusion. Not scared to be left all by herself, but because she didn't want to be left behind. Inuyasha studied her, wondering why the hell that was the reason.

"Have a nap," he stated. "Miroku will call you if they need you."

"A nap." She sounded incredulous. "You think I can have a nap _now_? After everything?"

He didn't understand. She should be tired; she _was _tired. It was all over her body, a series of tells simplistic to read. But there was something else too, a sort of fiery refusal that didn't make any sense.

This _woman _didn't make any sense.

"Outside is dangerous for you."

"Apparently everywhere is."

"Not here."

Kagome shrugged and crossed her arms, a self-soothing gesture. "I don't really know 'here' all that well."

"I don't know what you want from me." He didn't know, but he wanted to. The language of Dr. Kagome Higurashi was clear to read on her body, but apparently not the true story at all. What a mystery. Inuyasha scowled. Human nature was not the kind of mystery he enjoyed.

"Take me with you." Kagome picked up her purse again, the long strap crossing her body as it settled.

"You could be killed."

She rolled her eyes and Inuyasha very much didn't like that _at all_. "How slow do you drive your damn bike?"

"You're putting your life at risk," he snapped back, irritated, feeling the crawl of anger simmering under his skin. "You die and this whole case goes to shit."

Kagome grinned, like his anger was nothing more than a party trick. Something cute to be pulled out. "Then I guess you better have a helmet for me and drive fast."

He studied her as she stepped in closer, the way her shoulders were tense but hands loose. The way her eyes held dark circles underneath but the chocolate orbs were bright with adventure. This was… Unprecedented. Unexpected.

Very much not boring.

"Fine," he answered eventually, pressing the elevator button again since the doors had long closed. "But I'm going to fucking kill you if you die."

And despite everything, the woman laughed.

Not boring at all.

* * *

**Next Time on _Deductions_:**

"She's your daughter-in-law, not your daughter, but you secretly always wanted a girl anyways. Why?"

Oh no. Oh no, no, no, _no_.

"How did you know that?" her grandfather exclaimed, sounding torn between horrified and amazed. "I haven't said a word!"

"Didn't need to, it's obvious." And there he was. Long silver hair, golden eyes and that bright red leather jacket. So stupidly attractive and now standing at her front door, blocked from entering by both her mother and grandfather.

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

Questions: So glad you're excited for it! This fic has been tons of fun to write. Thanks dear.

Mal: Thanks so much love! It's definitely a fun twist on their relationship considering early-day canon Inuyasha and Kagome didn't have a relationship quite like this. But that's probably why I like AUs so much. Far more to play with :)

OkO: Oh goodness, you're far too nice. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Irish Indy: Hello dear! Thank you! So glad you enjoyed. Hopefully this chapter was just as entertaining!

Alex: I'm so excited that you're so excited! Thank you, truly. There will be a lot of dead people in this story so let's hope that my love of outlining a story to death will keep this plot as tight and intricate as BBC Sherlock. Probably not, but a girl can dream!

* * *

**Feedback is love.**


	4. (3) Dragged Underneath

**Author's Note:** So sorry for the delay! I try to make sure these updates aren't so long since details are kind of important to remember but...it's hard to write when you have one eye swollen shut :) But I'm all healed now so things should get back to normal. Thanks for your patience and to everyone on Tumblr, thank you for such sweet messages! I love you all.

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 3: Dragged Underneath_

* * *

The Arches were worse than Kagome last remembered them. Something like twenty-three years ago, a massive international sporting event was hosted by the city, forcing them to build massive stadiums, tracks, residences and statues. But like it always did, the money ran out and no amount of sales or preservation could keep the area in use. It fell into disrepair and soon became an area in which the homeless had taken over, making use of the grandiose archways and covers.

The Arches was one of the many reasons why virtually every mayor since the sporting event had pressed for rejuvenation within the city, strong economic development and strategic spending to save what had been forgotten. But it was always new things built – a new hospital, a new city centre, a million new condominiums. Anything that was splashy and easy, and simple for good press. A mayor wanted to be re-elected after all. There were promises a-plenty about saving the disgraced Arches.

And yet, nothing ever got done. Politics, as they were.

Kagome followed closely behind Inuyasha, who walked with a purpose she didn't understand. She had only a vague idea of what they were doing there but the silver-haired man had remained almost entirely silent once they got on the motorcycle and headed out. Maybe he was mad at her for pushing to take her along. Somehow, with his extreme attitude issues, she doubted it.

"This way," he said, waving them towards the side of one of the old resident buildings.

Kagome's gaze kept roaming around. While she saw obvious camps of sleeping bags and cardboard and tarps, there was virtually no one around. Hiding, maybe. Or just not interested in whatever trouble they were likely bringing. "Will anyone even talk to us?" she murmured.

"What makes you think we're here to talk to anyone?" Inuyasha asked, tone light. It was almost like he was humouring her.

"Aren't we finding out if the dead body from the fake paperwork actually came from here?"

Inuyasha glanced back at her, unimpressed. "_We_?" As if her presence was nothing more than a token of goodwill. He allowed her to come.

Bristling, Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'm here, aren't I?"

Inuyasha only grunted in response, his hand digging into the back pocket of his jeans. He pulled out a money clip and a slip of paper. She couldn't see it clearly but there was something scribbled on it, the ink smudged like it had been in his pocket for a while. He turned the corner, slipping past some broken down planks of wood before sliding through a poorly boarded doorway. It appeared dark inside but Kagome only hesitated for a moment, checking their surroundings before following him in.

"Stay close," Inuyasha hissed at her. "Don't say something stupid."

"Me? You think _I'm the one_ to worry about?" she muttered. God, but he was insufferable. Smart, attractive and irrevocably intriguing – but insufferable. Still, she remained at his side while they wandered through a desolate hallway, beams of light shining through cracked walls and shattered windows. A part of her wanted to ask exactly where they were going but Inuyasha's footsteps slowed until they stalled, poised at the end of some kind of room. Within it was an old man, sitting in the corner with his arms and legs crossed. His eyes were closed, face covered in streaks of grey grime. His ears… They were massive. Kagome couldn't help but stare and then forced herself to look away, horrified at herself.

"So I get to finally meet you in person," the man croaked. He stroked his salt and pepper goatee, eyelids still purposefully closed. "The great Inuyasha Taisho."

"If you say so," Inuyasha replied, tone just on the wrong side of aggressive. "I guess it's true what they say about you."

"They know I'm listening so it would be foolish to spread falsities." Slowly, like he was waking from a dream, the demon opened his eyes. "But I'm at a disadvantage. You never said her name."

Kagome blinked, realizing that the demon was speaking about her. She cleared her throat, awkward. "Hi. I'm Kagome."

The demon smiled and nodded, his long earlobes shifting along his chest as he did so. "Mimisenri. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Maybe it was the formality of it, but Kagome smiled. "And yours as well."

Mimisenri grinned back. "She's much nicer than you are."

"That's a low bar," Inuyasha snorted. He handed over the paper, money clearly tucked inside. "Double your rate."

"I assume your house call wouldn't be for anything less." The demon tucked the items away, not even sparing a glance at it. "So?"

"So have the cops been anywhere near here in the last three days?"

Mimisenri laughed. "No. They avoid this place as much as possible."

Nodding, Inuyasha took out his phone. Kagome watched as he opened up his photo app, a picture of the Jane Doe clearly visible. He held it out. "Know of her?"

The man stared at the photo for a while, his nearly black eyes taking in every centimetre before shaking his head. "No. Do you have a name?"

"No," Inuyasha answered, clearly frustrated by it. "Any chance you could have missed her?"

Mimisenri raised an imperious eyebrow, hand stroking at his goatee once more. "I don't miss much."

Sighing, Inuyasha put his cell phone away. "Thanks anyways. I'll be in touch."

"As I would expect." The demon grinned again, waving his fingers. "And take care of Kagome. She's smarter than you, too."

Kagome hid her grin as Inuyasha rolled his eyes and turned away. It wasn't quite stomping, but he didn't look happy either. "It was nice to meet you," she said as she departed.

Inuyasha was already far ahead of her so she had to race to catch-up. The light from outside nearly blinded her, making her squint as they adjusted. The silver-haired man was leaning against the wall, a scowl on his face as he stared at nothing in particular. His clawed fingers tapped incessantly along his arm. "Everything is circumstantial."

"So you've said." Kagome leaned up against the wall beside him, a solid foot of space between them. "Did you think you'd get anything here?"

She hadn't known it was possible, but his scowl deepened. "No," Inuyasha growled. "But it was the only solid lead there was. Everything else is guesswork." He took out his phone again, fingers flying across the screen. He looked fiercely intent so she let him be, using the time to take a better look around her. The Arches needed help but the people that came here or lived here needed so much more. What would it take, she wondered, until something was actually done? She thought about Mimisenri, the man who was clearly homeless but still had that smile. What put him in that position? What horrible share of life had he been forced to endure? And despite it all, he clearly tried to take care of himself. The Arches were far from clean but even still, the grime had been minimal, his eyes still bright against his dark pupils.

Kagome frowned, a thought crossing her mind. She glanced furtively towards the silver-haired man, wondering. Was it…worthwhile to mention? She had before at the lab, hadn't she?

"Spit it out." Inuyasha was still glaring at his phone but she saw his silver ears aimed directly at her, twitching with the wind. "I know you want to say something."

"I don't know, it could be nothing." Kagome shrugged. "I'm hardly a detective."

"The detectives at the precinct are hardly detectives," Inuyasha mumbled, putting his mobile away. "You can't be that much worse."

Kagome raised her eyebrows at the implication. "You're pretty hard on them."

"How would you know?" he asked, eyeing her up and down before scoffing. "You've only seen me talk to Miroku and Sango, and they're my least objectionable detectives."

"Big praise."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to ask again so whatever you want to say, for fuck's sake, say it now."

Jerk. Kagome crossed her arms, thinking. "Well, I just thought about how Mimisenri looked. He lives here, right? In the Arches?" At Inuyasha's nod, she continued. "I just thought that despite him living here, he didn't look _that _dirty."

That intense golden gaze blazed at her, unimpressed and bored in equal measure. "Okay, so?"

"So the victim – the _real _victim – had to be in a place much dirtier than this before she came to Sakura Scientific. She was a mess."

Like a flip had been switched, Inuyasha pushed off the wall and crowded into her space. If she thought his stare was powerful before, Kagome had been very, _very _mistaken. "What?" he demanded.

"The body was covered in dirt," Kagome stated, trying to properly remember. "Smudges of things in her hair, flaking dried liquids across her face. Even with her bloating it was obvious."

"And you never mentioned this before?" Inuyasha snapped, whirling away only to spin back around and point at her. "What kind of dirt?"

"I have no idea," Kagome replied, feeling her body tingle with anticipation. A rush, something as strong as a tidal wave as she watched the way the silver-haired man paced and thrummed with energy. It was like being caught up in his wake, dragged underneath that golden gaze. "And the smell covered everything."

Inuyasha growled, tapping his claws on each other once more. "It's a long shot, but a shot nonetheless." With that, he bolted towards his motorcycle, Kagome hurrying to keep up. If she had thought about it, she would have realized that she didn't mind the chase.

* * *

Kagome hadn't questioned him as she put on the motorcycle helmet, nor had she demanded to know where they were going when he took off. She simply held on for dear life, enjoying the hum of energy in her veins and the roaring of the wind as they flew across city streets. Still, when he parked the motorcycle in front of the police station, she wasn't surprised. Kagome had a feeling that Inuyasha was there more than his own apartment. A travesty really, considering how nice it was.

Strange, how in the moment Kagome realized that her own apartment was gone. She hadn't even gone back to it, seen the damage. Was all of her stuff lost? Was there anything to salvage? Oh god, the insurance. _Her mother_.

Kagome hadn't even checked her phone. Shit, she was stupid. Far too caught up in whatever the hell Inuyasha was doing, with his presence that both threatened to overwhelm her and take her higher. An asshole that had the ability to make her feel like the most important person when his attention was solely focused on her.

Shaking her head, Kagome pawed at her purse and fumbled for her phone. Seven missed calls, most of them from her mother and a couple unknown local numbers.

"You can deal with your place later," Inuyasha said, impatiently herding her towards the doors. "We have work to do."

"You have work to do," Kagome shot back. "And how did you know?"

"What else would make your heart rate spike so quickly?" Inuyasha asked.

"My mother has been calling. She's probably worried sick."

That made the silver-haired man pause for a moment, halting in his forward movement. "Oh."

For some reason, that got a laugh out of Kagome. Totally unreasonable, considering the situation. How the hell was she laughing when her entire life had literally blown up? "Oh? That's all you have to say?"

"Didn't realize you wanted me to say more." Inuyasha shot her an unreadable expression before pushing in front of her. "Just stick by me or reception will get pissed you don't have a visitor badge."

"Shouldn't we…have one?"

"What the fuck for?" Inuyasha huffed and sauntered inside, paying absolutely no attention to any of the officers trying to say hello. He pulled out a key card and swiped his way through, holding the door for her so she could slip in behind him.

"Are you supposed to have that?" Kagome whispered.

A smirk. Tiny, but there. "I have no idea what you're talking about." And with that, Inuyasha flung the card into the nearest trash bin, his aim impeccable. Kagome could only blink at the chain of events. "Call your mother, Kagome."

Right. Right, she needed to call her. Obviously. She dialled her mother's number from her favourites, anxiety building slowly but surely as it rang. Oh god, her mother was going to _kill her_. And what a stupid thought to have, considering she had actually almost been killed. But nothing felt real any more, not a single part of the day. Waking up to incessant knocking and getting hit on the head with collapsing debris. Flying on a motorcycle and investigating in the Arches. And now calling her mother from the police station, getting ready to beg for forgiveness.

"_Kagome!_" And her mother was crying. Kagome was, without a doubt, the worst daughter ever. Inuyasha had pegged her as having a guilty conscious towards her mother, and he had been right. But this, this was so much worse. _"I couldn't get a hold of you but I saw it on the news! Are you okay? That was your place, right? Your building? Oh, Kagome-!"_

"I'm so sorry, Momma," she murmured, letting Inuyasha's long strides take him further away. She was following but at a distance, though she doubted it made any difference. He'd already proven that his hearing was enhanced; not every demon or half-breed had the ability to hear one's heart rate. "I'm okay, I promise. I wasn't inside. I'm at the police station now."

"_What happened?"_ her mother asked shakily. _"Can you come home tonight, please?"_

"Of course, once I finish everything up here." She bit her lip, considering. She hadn't yet had a moment to tell her mom everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Kagome wasn't quite sure if her mom would let her back out of the house if she knew. "They need my statement and stuff. It might take awhile."

There was a long exhale, like her mother was trying to calm herself down. It helped Kagome to take a deep breath herself. "_Do you need me to have Sota come and pick you up? He's been worried sick, too."_

"I'll text him," Kagome assured her. "I probably will. I haven't even seen my place yet–" The thought actually terrified her. "I'll have to stop by as long as it's safe."

"_Whatever you need."_ Her mother continued to say something, but Kagome was instantly distracted by the look on Inuyasha's face, the unhappy glare he was directing at Detective Houko. He looked furious, golden eyes blazing. To the woman's credit, she didn't look the least bit intimidated.

"It's procedure," the detective reminded him, not unkindly.

"It's a waste of your time, but whatever. Did you do what I asked?"

"Miroku's still running it, but he should be back soon. There can't be that many Janes a week old." She shrugged. "Comparatively. You went to the Arches?"

"_Kagome? Are you still there?" _

"Yes Momma, sorry. There's a lot going on at the station," she lied, feeling even worse. "I need to go now but I'll call you when I'm on my way over, okay?"

"_Just check in with me, please. And text Sota!"_

"I will, I promise. I'll see you soon. Love you. Bye!" She hung up immediately, feeling both relieved and ashamed in equal measure. She'd never been like her mother and brother, not when it came to the concept of family. She loved them, truly. They'd never, ever, done anything wrong. But she didn't need to talk to them constantly, or confide in them, or see them every week. She just—didn't.

She texted her brother anyways, because she had promised.

[Outgoing Message to Sota Higurashi – 06/12/2019, 1:46 PM]

_I'm okay. Spoke to mom but I'm still at the police station._

_Could you pick me up later? I'll let you know when._

"Ms. Higurashi?" Detective Houko started, distracting Kagome from her phone.

"Doctor," Inuyasha murmured idly.

The magenta-eyed woman actually looked a bit sheepish. "Sorry. Dr. Higurashi. Do you mind coming with me? We have a few more questions for you on what happened at Sakura Scientific."

Inuyasha scowled the moment the question was asked. It was enough to make Kagome frown. "Now? Shouldn't I be giving my statement because my apartment blew up?"

"Detective Katsuki will be with you shortly, I promise. This shouldn't take long." Detective Houko tried for a smile but Kagome wasn't buying it. Something was going on. The suspicion only grew as she was led into one of the interrogation rooms. She balked at the doorway, eyeing the room warily. Detective Houko seemed to recognize her hesitation for the woman gave her a better, sincerer smile as she sat down at the table. "You're not under arrest, and we're not holding you. We just have some more questions and this is, unfortunately, the best place to talk."

Taking her at her word, Kagome sat down on the other side of the room. Behind the detective's head was the big mirror that everyone always saw – in movies, TV shows and the like. It seemed more intimidating in real life though, even though no one was on the other side that she knew of. _Just questions_, she reminded herself.

"We went back to Sakura Scientific and had another conversation with them about the missing body," Detective Houko started, hands intertwined over yet another manila folder. "Your word is a direct contradiction to theirs. You were at the scene and they weren't."

"So you believe me?" Kagome asked, trying not to let the hopefulness bleed through.

The smile disappeared then and the folder was opened. "According to Sakura Scientific, you started there about sixteen months ago. A two-year contract as a forensic assistant."

It wasn't a question so Kagome didn't answer. The tone shifted to something far heavier though and this wasn't _just questions_, it seemed. She tried not to get angry so she balled her hands in her lap and waited, silently.

"In that time, you were given two write-ups for failure to adhere to procedure and three coaching sessions, specifically for your access to the system." The woman handed over copies of signed forms, the familiar Sakura Scientific logo brazenly at the top. At the bottom, her signature.

Kagome frowned, taking in the headings and the notes, slowly starting to shake her head. "I've never, ever been coached or written up," she stated firmly. This was a mistake. A _lie_. She had never, ever failed in her diligence at the job. She was an exemplary staff member, knowing full well how lucky she was to be working as an assistant despite her lack of a pathology background. Plus, that just wasn't her. That wasn't how she did things. No, this was _wrong_.

"Never? Because that's your signature," the detective pointed out, tapping at one of the forms.

"And it was the diener's signature on the paperwork for admitting the missing body yesterday, but that wasn't real either." Kagome paused and took a deep breath, trying to claw at any semblance of calmness. "These have been faked. I've never – not once – had a mark against me on my file. Even if they created this paperwork, they would have had to bring me in. I didn't sign any of these."

Detective Houko pursed her lips. "It's your word against theirs, and they've showed me their system. All the entry banks and processing. The corpse they claim has been stolen from the lab matches what's there."

"Systems can be easily changed, especially if your have a manager's access," Kagome replied before shaking her head. "It doesn't matter because you clearly don't believe me. I'm invoking my right to an attorney and my right to remain silent."

It took a moment but the woman smiled again, probably truer than any time before. "I never said I don't believe you, and you're not under arrest or in holding. These are genuine questions." One by one, she pulled the faked paperwork back into the folder. "This whole thing reeks of a damn conspiracy and I'm just trying to get to the bottom of it."

"Well if you're done harassing the witness, Sango, I'd like for you to come out and do some actual police work," a familiar voice snapped. Kagome looked up, seeing the speakers built into the walls. She glanced towards the mirror, realizing with a start that Inuyasha must have been watching the whole time, listening and assessing.

"Some days," the detective murmured, "I would cheerfully murder him."

"He seems to have that effect on people."

"Worse than you know."

Kagome couldn't help but grin, following the other woman out of the room and back into the bullpen. Inuyasha was already out, leaning against one of the half-walls and scowling. Of course he was scowling. His attention was completely taken by Detective Tsujitani, who was smiling so large it had to have hurt.

"It's fun," he said, crossing his arms and relaxing into his chair. "Knowing something you don't."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You have a casefile that matches the description of Kagome's Jane Doe."

"Yeah but you don't know _where_." Detective Tsujitani burst out into laughter at the silver-haired man's face and then waved at them.

"Well now we're back together, so spill." Inuyasha tapped his nails impatiently against the wall before frowning at the male detective's face, twisted in thought. "Oh come on, she's fine!"

"She's a witness," Detective Tsujitani stated firmly. He looked over at Kagome then, blue eyes sincere. "Procedure."

"You need _her_," Inuyasha exclaimed, dragging out the final word.

"Don't we have you?"

Growling in frustration, Inuyasha pointed at her firmly, golden eyes trained on the other detectives. "She's your only lead. If you both want to waste time going back and forth, you're going to let another case fall through the damn cracks."

"She's a witness, Inuyasha," Detective Houko stated. "She doesn't get special access to the case because of it. The opposite, actually."

Inuyasha was looking more and more frustrated so Kagome took a step back, drawing their attention. "It's fine," she said, not really sure why the silver-haired man was trying to keep her so involved. "I have to give a statement anyways, call my insurance company, get…everything sorted."

"I'll help you find Katsuki," Detective Houko offered, throwing her folder down on the desk, which was already overflowing with files.

Inuyasha was staring at her, that golden gaze narrow-eyed like he was trying to understand. Understand what, Kagome had no idea. But he didn't say anything as the female detective led her away and so she didn't think anything more of it.

A weird twenty-four hours. That was what this was. As intense as Inuyasha was, whatever life he lived wasn't hers. She didn't solve crimes or deduce anything. She was a forensic assistant. Well, emphasis on the _was_. That was no longer a thing now that they'd done what they'd done.

Kagome just really, really wished she could go home.

* * *

Vibrating. A lot of it.

Groaning, Kagome buried her face in her pillow. No, this couldn't be happening. Not again.

But it was. Her phone vibrated once more, angrily from her nightstand. Well, her old nightstand. It was something else, sleeping in your childhood bedroom and realizing that everything in there was pretty much… All you had. Because her apartment was gone and virtually everything in it was, too. A few items managed to survive but everything else… Gone.

Her phone went off once more.

"Holy crap, I swear to god," Kagome hissed, flinging out her hand to grab it. Blearily, she stared at the screen, uncomprehending. Because—what?

_Inuyasha Taisho_. Five missed messages.

[Incoming Message from Inuyasha Taisho – 06/13/2019, 8:31 AM]

_Where are you? We have things to do._

_And I have questions to ask._

_I know you want to figure out what's going on. And I know you've been let go because it's 'best for everyone involved.'_

_So what else are you going to do?_

_I'll pick you up._

How the hell did his phone number get programmed in? She certainly hadn't done it. Had he…? Kagome blinked, sure she was seeing things. How had the guy even had time? When? She could only assume it was when she was at his place.

And also, how the _hell _had he known that Sakura Scientific had called her to quietly terminate her contract? It had been the evening, and Kagome had just been through her house and on the phone with insurance for hours. Everything was a battle – all of the paperwork, the photos, the proof, the assessments – and all Kagome wanted was to have a decent night of sleep. One night. That was _it_.

[Incoming Message from Inuyasha Taisho – 06/13/2019, 8:38 AM]

_Stop staring at your screen and answer me, for fuck's sake. _

Well then.

[Outgoing Message]

_I'm at my mother's. What the hell kind of things do we have to do?_

Throwing off the duvet, Kagome ignored the near-immediate vibration from her phone to head into the bathroom. She washed her face and stared at the bags under her eyes for far longer than she should have. Kagome looked… She looked like a shell, to be honest. A ghost. A fragment of what she used to be. She couldn't even remember the last time she had looked in the mirror and genuinely wasn't exhausted by her reflection. First it had been med school, then residency, all of the tests, the clinic, the ER. And she had hoped that leaving would be better for her – a forensic assistant's job wasn't easy, though it wasn't the same toll as being an ER doctor. But it had never been what she wanted to do. It didn't _do it_ for her, that thrill of starting and finishing something, seeing the full process come to a close.

She had hoped being a doctor would be like that. She had been wrong.

Irritated with herself for wallowing in thoughts that never helped her, Kagome left the bathroom and picked her phone back up. She wasn't surprised to see what awaited her.

[Incoming Message]

_Find a missing body and solve a murder._

_Obviously._

_Stop pretending you're stupid_.

He kept _saying _that. Pretending to be stupid, like Kagome was being intentionally dumb. She wasn't though. At least, she didn't think so. Whatever Inuyasha saw of her – saw in her – was beyond understanding. Most of what the guy did seemed to be beyond understanding.

Biting her lip, she hesitated for only a moment before typing in the address. Hitting send forced her to exhale, harsh and loud in the otherwise silent room. This was crazy. Inuyasha was crazy.

But Kagome couldn't forget what it felt like to watch him, to be in that orbit of incessant fact and truth. The way he pulled things seemingly out of thin air. Of making connections no one else – not even the police – saw. And when she'd been at the lab, stuck in protective gear and trying to follow along to his train of thought, she hadn't wanted to leave.

For the first time in as long as she could remember, Kagome felt like staying was an option.

Her mother was drinking tea downstairs with her grandfather, the two of them sitting at the kitchen table. It was so familiar that Kagome actually smiled before wishing them a good morning.

"Oh honey, how are you doing?" her mother asked, eyes wide and concerned. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah, I was pretty tired." Kagome started to prep her own tea, letting the water in the kettle reheat. "Where's Sota?"

"He had to go meet with his agent. Another book deal or something, I can never remember. Maybe that was the publisher." Her mother hummed thoughtfully. "He should be back for lunch. We can all eat together."

"Oh, uh, I may be out," Kagome said, wincing. "Trying to get as much organized from my apartment as I can, you know? I'll be home for dinner though."

"Always out and about," her grandfather chided, though it was a long running joke between them. She'd never been able to sit still as a child, always curious. He always said that her father was like that. Always moving. Always learning. She pushed that thought aside.

Her mother hummed again. "How are you getting around? Sota won't be here to drive you."

"A…friend," she answered, overly cheerful by the end. "He's coming to get me."

"He?"

Whining, Kagome poured the hot water into her mug. "No, Mom, not this again."

"Well you never bring anyone home! What am I supposed to think?" Her mother sounded genuinely perplexed by it and Kagome was more whiny than mad. Nothing she had said was wrong; Kagome hadn't brought a boy home since university and that was… A long time ago.

"You know how busy I was. I missed a billion family dinners the past few years. How was I to make time for a boyfriend on top of all that?" Kagome leaned against the counter, blowing on the steam of her drink. "I'm terrible at dating, too."

Her grandfather chuckled at that, enough to make her mother hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Hey!"

"She said it, not me!" her grandfather cried out. "Besides, she is terrible. Have you seen her flirt? I went to the grocery store with her once, you know."

Oh god. _No_. "Grandpa, that wasn't flirting! He charged me extra on the bill because he scanned the same item twice."

"Sure," he drawled, eyes drawn once again to his newspaper. "Whatever you say."

There literally wasn't anything that she could add or do to make it better. Instead, Kagome fled back upstairs to her bedroom, tea in hand. First was a quick shower to wipe away the grime and horror that felt like it was glued to her skin no matter how hard she scrubbed. By the time she got out her tea was perfect, so she sipped it in between brushing and tying up her hair. She learned from the last time she was on a motorcycle with Inuyasha: that kind of wind knotted hair into the impossible to brush out. Yeah. Never again.

Thinking of Inuyasha, she glanced at her cell phone and wondered when he would be around. At least thirty more minutes, she figured. There was no way he left his place immediately and so early in the morning, where else would he be?

Her mother generously loaned her some clothes that mostly fit, so she threw them on. Drinking the last of her tea, she wandered downstairs in search for more. Maybe Kagome should have texted him to ask for an ETA.

Only, as she descended the stairs she heard her mother making overly cheerful, delighted sounds. Like she was opening a gift on her birthday, or smelling the flowers Kagome brought over on Mother's Day. But that didn't make sense unless Sota came home with an unexpected present?

"She's your daughter-in-law, not your daughter, but you secretly always wanted a girl anyways. Why?"

Oh no. Oh no, no, no, _no_.

"How did you know that?" her grandfather exclaimed, sounding torn between horrified and amazed. "I haven't said a word!"

"Didn't need to, it's obvious." And there he was. Long silver hair, golden eyes and that bright red leather jacket. So stupidly attractive and now standing at her front door, blocked from entering by both her mother and grandfather.

"Mom!" Kagome called out, unsure what exactly to say. Let him in? Leave him alone? Why did you answer the door? She hadn't even heard the doorbell, oh god, how was this happening to her? First her job imploded, then her home exploded and now her _childhood home_ was being invaded.

"Kagome, you never told us about your friend!" The word 'friend' was used far too emphatically, her meaning as clear as day. How embarrassing. That surely didn't escape the silver-haired man's notice. Nothing seemed to get by him. "He's lovely."

Inuyasha appeared to be smug about that, if his smirk was anything to go by. "Not many people think so."

"Oh?" Her mother was so distracted, she hadn't even invited him in. Later, it would surely be all Kagome would hear about.

"Most people think I'm mean, or rude, or an asshole." Inuyasha shrugged. "The usual."

Okay, time to step in. "Okay, well this has been fun but we need to go now." Kagome stepped in between them and then realized she was still holding her damn tea mug. With a sigh, she raced back into the kitchen to rinse it before running back, all but flinging her purse across her body and grabbing her jacket. Kagome had no idea what it was like outside; it could be raining and she'd be woefully underprepared.

"It was nice to meet you," her mom offered to Inuyasha, who smirked and nodded in return. Her grandfather continued to stare at him strangely, like he couldn't grasp exactly what had gone on. That was fine. As long as he forgot that whole last part, Kagome wouldn't have to hear about it for decades later, how she brought home a 'bad boy.' She shuddered at the thought.

"Bye! I'll text you!" Kagome called out, shutting the door and all but flying off the porch. Inuyasha, in contrast, followed leisurely behind her, like they had all the time in the world. "What was that?" she asked, spinning on him the second his feet left the stairs. "You could have just messaged me and I would have met you outside."

Inuyasha scowled. "It's called manners and despite what Koga says, I have some."

That was— "Who's Koga?" Definitely not what she meant to ask about.

"A completely incompetent forensics lead and pathologist. Makes my life a living hell. Honestly, it's a wonder this city even puts people away with his so-called findings." Every word was grumbled out, bitter and irritated. "Hopefully you never have to meet him."

"Do you think everyone is incompetent?" Kagome asked curiously, taking the helmet Inuyasha offered.

The silver-haired man nodded, decisive. "Except for a select few."

"The detective friends of yours?" she guessed.

He made a face and shrugged. "They're fine, I guess."

"Wow, a glowing recommendation. I'm sure they'd be happy to hear that."

"They're lucky I help them at all," Inuyasha pointed out, putting on his own helmet. "But forget them, we have shit to do. Our number one priority is to figure out where this damn body came from."

Kagome finagled the strap on hers, struggling with the unfamiliarity of it. "Do you have a lead?" she gritted out, tugging at the clip.

"Even better," Inuyasha replied, smirking. He knocked on her helmet once and bent down so that they were eye level, his golden orbs staring intently at her own chocolate ones. "I stole the whole fucking case file."

* * *

**Next Time on _Deductions_:**

"She's not—" Sango tried but only cut herself off, sighing loudly and glaring up at the ceiling. "If I get fired, I will murder you."

"I'd like to see you try," Inuyasha replied, grin all teeth. It wasn't a smile by any means.

"You were right back at the lab, about all of it." Kagome's voice was light, casual, but the way she looked at him was absolutely inspired. "That's amazing."

"What's amazing is that Koga even has a job," Inuyasha muttered, ignoring the way the praise made the warmth in his stomach grow to an almost uncomfortable level.

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

Guest: Thank you love! So glad you're enjoying it.

Irish Indy: I have mostly healed, thank you! I'm basically there. The left side of my face is still a little bruised looking but it's so deep in the skin that I just look really, really tired hahaha. It exaggerates the bags under your eyes. Oh well. That's what makeup is for :D Thanks for the love, dear!

Mal: Ha! Probably the benefit of my AU lifestyle lol. But thank you, thank you, thank you my darling. I adore you.

Guest: Thank you so, so much dear!

* * *

**Feedback is love.**


	5. (4) You

**Author's Note:** There are so many stories coming your way, I swear. So many.

**Warnings:** graphic depictions of a dead body; trauma of recall

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 4: You_

* * *

The landfill was a good forty minutes away, but they made good time. Kagome didn't even complain when she eventually got off of the bike, legs a little wobbly after so long. "Here?"

"According to the case file." Inuyasha opened his phone and went back to the photo app, where he'd taken pictures of some of the details. The actual file itself was in the storage compartment of his motorcycle. "After our trip to the Arches yesterday, I told Miroku to pull every single case file from June 10th or 11th, the day the body would have been found and transferred to Sakura Scientific. He'd already been looking for anything marked Jane Doe, but the city is massive and there are other departments to work with. The usual bullshit red tape. _But _you said the body was dirty. Not just grime, but actual dirt or residue on her body and in her hair. That narrows the options down a little: ditches, dumpsters, landfills—"

"And one of the files came from here," Kagome finished, eyeing the gate.

"That was confirmed to be transferred to Sakura Scientific the morning of the 11th. The body had been found by one of the landfill operators giving some kind of tour. Sheer fucking luck that he saw the body at all. They called the police and a Detective Matsuo and his partner Suzuki came. Description matches almost exactly what you said: Jane Doe, thirties, black hair, dead almost a week, tattoo." He showed her a photo from the crime scene, one that included the body. Kagome didn't even flinch or grimace when he showed her. Her calm gaze simply took it in. She nodded, touching the phone screen to enlarge the image.

"That's definitely her," Kagome agreed. "Thank god."

"God had nothing to do with it," Inuyasha replied. "Sango is going back to the lab today to take one more look through their system, to confirm the body was never in there. When she exposes them, they'll likely blame you once more but there's enough for a warrant."

"So why aren't they here, instead of us?" she asked. "You said you're not police."

Inuyasha sighed. "I'm not. I'm a consulting detective. The _only _consulting detective, since the position was made for me."

That made Kagome grin. "The department thought you were so amazing they made you a position?"

At that, Inuyasha scoffed. "As if. No, _I_ made the position. They think I'm making shit up and then fall all over themselves when I'm right in the end. Sango and Miroku are the only two I'll work with since they're not raging idiots."

"And will they be mad you've told me all the top-secret details I'm not supposed to know about?"

"Eh." He waved a hand dismissively, pocketing his phone and disappearing towards the gate. The operations building lay just beyond it, and they had to get through security before being allowed through. Throughout the experience, Inuyasha was blunt and demanding, forcing them to make quick decisions that didn't give them time to think about chain of command of approvals. Kagome kept asking him questions but they were irrelevant, a vague irritation. He grunted in response, focusing more on the important task at hand.

"You never answered my question. Why aren't the detectives here if this is a lead?"

Inuyasha exhaled heavily before taking in her expression. Why the hell did _she _seem so aggravated for? "Because they already have all the notes from Matsuo and Suzuki's file."

"The file you stole."

"They don't know that."

"They don't?"

Inuyasha made a face at her, completely unimpressed. "Like they would let me take official documentation off-site." He rolled his eyes. "No, unless details don't line up from the report, then there's no point in checking out the scene. Apparently there was nothing to find, or if there was, it was lost in the rest of the garbage. The crime lab is sorting through it."

Nodding, Kagome pressed further, wanting to know. "Then why are _we _here?"

"Same thing I told you within the first five minutes of meeting you." When Kagome only looked at him in confusion, he growled slightly, irritated. "I don't trust them to find everything. I rather do it myself."

"And do we actually have a meeting with the landfill operator?" Kagome asked, and he could tell she was suspicious. Inuyasha had been uncharacteristically nonchalant about that part when speaking to the guard, while the rest of the time he'd been overwhelmingly demanding. At least she paid attention.

"No. But he had a LinkedIn profile, so it was easy enough to find his Facebook and realize he did what all Baby Boomers do when something unexpected happens in their day: they post about it _endlessly_, like anyone gives a flying shit about it."

Kagome stared at him for a moment before she burst out laughing, hand clenching at her stomach like the whole thing was too much. Inuyasha catalogued it – the carefreeness, the bright easiness – when she wasn't looking. "You really are a consulting detective."

"That was never in question." Inuyasha felt himself smirk and turned away, directing his attention back to the building. Security was minimal – it was a _landfill _after all – and the parking suggested only a handful of employees working. They walked in without issue, towards a room with a series of desks and metal cabinets. Paperwork littered every major surface and a few employees looked up at their entrance, confusion clear on their faces.

One of them – a female wearing a denim button-up and khakis – poked her head in. "You here to see someone?" she asked, eyeing them up and down.

"Mr. Matsumoto," Inuyasha confirmed. He could see the hesitation in her body before the woman decided she just didn't care enough. At least five years at the job, overlooked on two different promotions.

"Yeah, follow me," she said, waving them on. He felt Kagome's gaze like a brand but she said nothing. Better that way, anyways. The female employee would only care so little. Ignorance was bliss, and all that.

Eventually, the woman stopped at a door and knocked on it twice before opening it. "Matsumoto, you've got company."

"What?" The man was older, with greying-black hair and stark laugh lines around his eyes. He had no idea why he had guests but politeness forced him to stand and hold out a hand. "Hi there."

"I'm Inuyasha and this is my partner, Kagome. We're with the Hakurei police department, investigating the body that was found here a couple days ago." Inuyasha flashed his fake badge – well, the badge part was real, but his ID was nothing more than a good print job. No one ever had been able to the tell the difference. "We just had a few follow-up questions for you."

"Oh, okay." Mr. Matsumoto gestured towards the chairs in his office. "Please, sit down. I'll just—" He closed the door behind them, and Inuyasha studied his surroundings like he did everything else. No personal effects in the office except for two beaded bracelets hanging on a pushpin. Two daughters, obviously, especially since he had a tattoo of their initials on his wrist. Family man. Married, at least fifteen – Inuyasha narrowed his gaze on the wedding band – no, twenty years. When the operator sat back down, his hands interlaced in front of his stomach, posture a falsehood of calm. The man was terrified, but not because he'd done anything wrong.

"You found the body, is that correct?" Inuyasha asked, picking the easiest place to start.

Mr. Matsumoto nodded, lips pursed. "I did. We had a walk-around with our engineering team when I saw her. I thought it was fake at first – some doll or something – but it was real. Called you guys right away."

"Can you describe the body to me?" he pressed, watching as the man grew more and more uncomfortable. He was practically squirming and his eyes darted – just once – to the bracelets hanging on his wall.

"I know this is hard," Kagome broke in suddenly, sitting forward in her seat. Inuyasha had to work to hold back his frown, wondering what the hell she was doing. The man had been going to tell him, there wasn't any point in coddling. Still, she didn't seem to get that. Leaning forward, she gave the operator an encouraging smile. "It's not an easy thing to see, trust me. It took years before I could stomach it. But anything you remember could really help us."

For a moment, Mr. Matsumoto looked just as tense and scared as before. Then, like a rush of air went out of him, he deflated. Accepting. Willing to help. He, too, leaned forward on the desk, bringing his arms up to brace himself. "It was probably one of the worst things I ever saw. I've got two girls and every time I just think—" He breathed out, shakily, before pulling it together. "I remember her expression. I don't know if it just looked that way or what, but the girl looked… Shocked. Startled. Hell, I don't know. She'd clearly been here for a couple of days. Bugs were everywhere and she was all…" He trailed off, looking queasy.

"Was she dressed?" Inuyasha asked.

The man frowned for a second, considering. "Yeah, but her shirt was all torn up. I could see her, uh, chest." He grimaced. "Just the one side though, but I honestly didn't look that much. Her face was too messed up. It was hard to look at all."

"You told Detective Suzuki that the area you found her in wouldn't help us find where she was picked up," Inuyasha said, remembering the statement from the report.

"Not really," Mr. Matsumoto answered, shaking his head regretfully. "We get trucks from all kinds, everywhere in the city. I could give you a radius, but it would be massive."

Inuyasha huffed, annoyed. Fucking Detective Suzuki. "It's better than nothing. Any footage to see what vehicle she came in?"

"I already sent the footage over, but from what I could see, you can't tell when the body was dumped." The man shrugged though. "But to be honest, I might not know what to look for."

Sincere. That was all the man was. Genuinely distraught over the whole thing and not useful for any more leads. At least they had a radius, though Inuyasha assumed it wouldn't do anything for them unless they had more information.

He was about to get up and leave when Kagome leaned forward again, drawing both of their attentions. "You said she looked shocked, right?"

Mr. Matsumoto tensed for a moment before relaxing again. He didn't need to look at the bracelets again. "Yeah," he answered roughly. "I see it in my dreams."

Nodding, Kagome took a moment before forming her next question. When she spoke, the words were soft and gentle, like she was speaking to a spooked horse or a terrified child. "If you were looking at her face, then you saw all of the blood, right?"

Where the hell was she going with this?

The man nodded.

"Can you tell me about her skull? Did it look deformed at all? Any hair…missing?" She looked like it pained her to say it, but Inuyasha knew without a doubt it wasn't for her sake. She could stomach dead bodies, handle them without issue. This was all for the operator before them, and his empathy for the murdered woman he had found.

There was nothing but heavy silence as the implication sunk in. Then, Mr. Matsumoto nodded once and swallowed heavily, like the bile was building up. "The, uh, back of her head. Right side more, I think. It was… Not like it should be. Not round." He opened his mouth to say more but Kagome reached out and touched his arm then briefly, a short, comforting gesture that Inuyasha didn't understand. Let the man _talk_.

"That's fine," Kagome interrupted gently. "Thank you for telling me."

"I'm sorry I can't give you more. You're going to find who did this right?"

Inuyasha bit back a sigh. The operator had been about to say more, so why didn't Kagome let him finish? She'd been after the blood on the head, which meant she was trying to confirm some sort of cause of death. They had both thought blunt force trauma—

_Oh_. Obvious. Christ, sometimes he was stupid.

A _shocked _expression meant literally nothing. People died in varied ways – some of them sudden and others slow – but their expressions never held any merit, especially if the bodies were moved. It wasn't chemical compounds or trace evidence or any kind of clue. But Kagome used that knowledge to get him talking, to lead him to better questions as a distraction. She had posited blood force trauma, and the man confirmed in his unprofessional opinion that it had been to the back of the head. Their victim had been trying to get away maybe, and never saw the blow coming. Or maybe she'd been running because of the threat coming her way. Regardless, the victim didn't see themselves in danger until it was too late. Did that mean this was an act of rage, unplanned? A statistical probability, though that went completely at odds with the very fact the body had been stolen from a lab. No idiot that killed in a spur of the moment issue left the body to be picked up by the dump where anyone could find it and then organized a massive hacking, pay-off extravaganza.

Unless. _Unless_.

A cover-up, done after the fact by a stupid mistake.

Inuyasha blinked over at the black-haired beauty, who was consoling the man across from them. _She _had done this. A simple question, but the possibilities now were unfolding, new aspects to the evidence never considered before. All circumstantial, yes, but Inuyasha had solved cases before with a lot less.

Short, static bursts of vibration distracted him, forcing him to drag his eyes away.

[Incoming Message from Sango Houko - 6/13/2019, 9:40 AM]

_Found the transport van. Plate matches surveillance we found around the block at a local business. Nothing inside. Wiped clean. Forensics can't get anything._

_I'll have results from the initial scene in an hour though._

Fucking Koga. Goddamn fucking Koga and his useless minions.

"That's all then," Inuyasha said briskly, eyes glued to his phone as he typed a response. "Can you print out that radius for me now?"

"Uh, it might take some time," the operator said, clearly thrown off. "I could send it to your email?"

[Outgoing Message]

_My place, 11. Give me copies._

_None of that verbatim shit like last time._

"We'll wait." Inuyasha looked at Kagome, disregarding the confused look the other man was giving him. "We need to go back to my apartment." The police station wouldn't help them, not after Miroku's showing the day before. His apartment was the best bet to get all the details.

Because Kagome was much smarter than she gave herself credit for, an ease that was surprising. And nothing ever surprised him.

[Incoming Message from Miroku Tsujitani – 06/13/2019, 9:47 AM]

_Sango hates you and is taking it out on me._

Ugh.

* * *

Whatever magic Kagome conjured up to get the man talking, she clearly had no idea of the implications. Inuyasha was torn between shock and pleasure, because it had been far too long since anyone had ever asked a question in an investigation that went beyond the obvious and actually answered something. It shouldn't have been incredible, but it was. At least, to him it was.

The realization made him look twice. It made him think, beyond what he knew about her. Was she really just that smart? Was it instinctual? Had she intentionally asked the first question to lead into the other? Was it coincidence or something more? The thing was, it seemed like more. Like she _knew_. And that—

That was welcoming.

"So what exactly are we doing here?" Kagome asked, eyes wandering around his kitchen like she hadn't seen it before. Strange. He distinctly remembered her doing so yesterday, despite her head wound.

"Waiting for Miroku and Sango. They'll be here shortly."

Those chocolate eyes landed on him, both eyebrows raised. "I thought we'd been over this. I shouldn't be a part of the investigation; they clearly can't tell me anything."

"Procedure is nothing more than red tape," Inuyasha replied, hopping up on the island of his kitchen counter. "If it's to their benefit, they'll bend whatever rules they need to. Corruption in the name of goodness, or whatever."

"Like you."

Inuyasha had to work to hide his smirk. Instead, he nodded once. "Exactly. Police departments can't hire consulting detectives…and yet."

Kagome smiled at him. "And yet. But I'm not you."

That made him snort. "Obviously."

"Then why the hell would they break the—"

"_Bend_."

"—fine, _bend _the rules for me?"

The doorbell rang, so Inuyasha finally did smirk as he slid back down. "Guess we'll see." As expected, Sango was talking loudly on the other side of the door, snarking at something that Miroku undoubtedly said on the way up the stairs. Probably something about her ass. Sango always yelled at him for it, but every single fucking time she walked up the stairs in front of him because she weirdly liked it. The two of them were honestly the worst.

"Stop fucking flirting and get inside," Inuyasha bitched as he swung the door open. "We have shit to do before the case goes cold."

"Oh, fuck off," Sango snapped, pushing her way inside. "I don't need this today, Inuyasha."

"She never needs it," Miroku grumbled.

"And what the hell is that supposed to—" Inuyasha bit down a smarmy grin when Sango's jaw closed so fast, the click was audible. She had finally noticed, then. Took her over twenty seconds which was abysmal for someone like her. Miroku must have really pissed her off. Maybe he _hadn't _commented on her ass when they walked up the stairs.

"Oh," Miroku said, clearly catching on. "You're here."

To her credit, Kagome didn't let the awkwardness affect her. She waved, friendly enough. "Hi."

Miroku spun around so fast, the little rat's tail at the back of his head actually wrapped around his neck. His blue eyes were as wide as saucers and his gaze darted from Inuyasha, back to Kagome, and then to Inuyasha again. It was like ping pong, with some expression akin to incredulousness on his face.

Frowning, Inuyasha saw the way he stepped in even closer to his partner – intimacy, closeness, a comfort there – before smiling so largely at Inuyasha the sight was near blinding.

Oh.

_Oh_.

"Christ," Inuyasha muttered, rolling his eyes. "No, Miroku, I'm not sleeping with her."

"I didn't say anything!" the detective crowed, arms up.

"We both know you didn't have to."

Sango sighed heavily. "Inuyasha, why the hell did you drag us here when you _know_—"

"See?" Kagome interrupted, her smile somehow even larger than before. "I told you so."

"You told _him_ so?" Miroku nearly squealed, hands clapping together in delight.

Inuyasha needed to get this firmly under wrap, before Kagome's placating nature and Miroku's disbelief took over. "Sit down, goddamn it. How much coffee have you had?"

"Not enough," Sango mumbled, but staggered along into the kitchen. It was a familiar routine at least, even with the extra person. Numerous times, when Miroku and Sango couldn't bring Inuyasha to a scene, they would come over and provide the details here. It was a way to involve him without the eyes and ears of every cop and detective in the city. Inuyasha knew without a doubt that their sergeant knew, as well as the captain, but they turned a blind eye because the pair's solve rate was so good. It wasn't like he was mentioned in any of their reports.

Pulling out two files, Sango threw them unceremoniously on the island. "Here you go. First is a field report on the van. Nothing is there though. Clean, professional. The other file has Koga's findings."

"Yeah, let me guess," Inuyasha mocked, choosing to stand and lean on the counter with his elbows. "No trace evidence found, minus the footprints. Impressions and cast prove that it was one burglar – not two. Boots are standard, found anywhere. No fingerprints. If it hadn't been for our witness here, we wouldn't even suspect foul play." With a flourish, he passed along the file to Kagome, who took it and opened it. Inuyasha noted approvingly that unlike at the lab or the police station, she didn't look to either detective for permission. It made something unfurl in his stomach, pleased like a cat.

"She's not—" Sango tried but only cut herself off, sighing loudly and glaring up at the ceiling. "If I get fired, I will murder you."

"I'd like to see you try," Inuyasha replied, his grin all teeth. It wasn't a smile by any means.

"You were right back at the lab, about all of it." Kagome's voice was light, casual, but the way she looked at him was absolutely inspired. "That's amazing."

"What's amazing is that Koga even has a job," Inuyasha muttered, ignoring the way the praise made the warmth in his stomach grow to an almost uncomfortable level. He was good at ignoring those kinds of things. "But his uselessness aside, we have actually learned something."

"One intruder, not two," Miroku repeated, nodding.

Inuyasha tapped his nails along the countertop, thinking. Kagome had been clear enough when they were back at the lab. The burglar spoke. He spoke to _himself_? Why? And the words— He had given himself a timeframe to leave in, as well as a directive. _Get the body and go_. Roleplay, perhaps? Ego? A deeper mental instability?

"I thought you said there were two?" Sango questioned, clearly directed at Kagome.

The inquiry didn't make her nervous, but the black-haired woman did bite her lip, nodding. "Well, I thought so? I mean, I heard him talk, like he was talking to someone else."

Talking to someone else. A voice in his head?

A voice in his head. Earpiece, perhaps. A larger scale operation… Fit the picture, if only because whoever orchestrated this had enough connections for more than one person. But it still didn't fit. Why give _yourself _the order?

"The video surveillance we had on the van from across the street doesn't show the driver, or if there are any passengers. It's grainy as shit; we barely got the plates." Miroku clenched his right hand; Inuyasha could see the muscles straining on the arm even with his fist hiding under the countertop. "It's just a black blur."

Inuyasha growled. "It's all a guess. Do you have anything that _isn't a guess_?"

"Funny you mention that," Sango started, magenta eyes on him. "Did you know that the case file on the Jane Doe from the landfill went missing?"

Inuyasha scowled. "Maybe Detective Matsuo should check again in the morning, considering him and Suzuki didn't think a goddamn radius of where the garbage trucks came from would be helpful."

"It's over thirty kilometres," Sango shot back, "if you read the whole report."

"Still thirty-_two_ kilometres we didn't have specified before," Inuyasha snarked. "But it doesn't matter. Kagome confirmed that our real stolen body likely died from blunt force trauma to the head. The back of the skull was caved in."

Sango's sharp eyes went straight to her, assessing. "How'd you manage that?"

"The landfill operator saw the body and so I asked." Kagome shrugged. "I didn't get a good enough look when the body was in the bag, but he'd had to have been with it for at least an hour, I would guess?"

Forty-five minutes at most, but Inuyasha didn't correct her. "No bruises on the body, but a partially torn shirt. Only the upper half, nothing lower. A lack of bruises but a caved in skull suggests it was one hit, unless the real cause of death is hidden."

"Could be," Kagome conceded, "but why throw her in a dumpster?"

Of fucking course. He hadn't told her yet. He hadn't told _anyone_ yet.

"Maybe they got scared?" Miroku asked, sounding like even he didn't believe it.

Inuyasha growled. "Don't you guys get it? This wasn't a hit."

"A…" Sango's face screwed up in confusion. "A hit? None of us even suggested that."

"Because you're all far too slow to have even considered it." Inuyasha spun around, nails clicking together as the pieces fell into place. "We have a break-in at a government lab with clear hacking and payouts. One burglar with an earpiece, possibly, but either way they were talking to _someone_. Not a random body snatch but a specific one. This was a targeted theft orchestrated by someone with massive connections. The whole thing would have gone completely unnoticed had Kagome not shown up out of the blue because she has a guilt complex a mile wide." Inuyasha smirked. "Brilliant, this whole fucking thing. It _is _a conspiracy. It's a fucking cover up!"

Better than a plain old murder, any day. Someone was covering up an idiot's murder, but _why_? Inuyasha's body was practically thrumming, the adrenaline coursing through him better than any ride on his motorcycle or any run in the forest. "The woman was murdered by a crime of passion. Whether the attacker meant to kill her or not is inconsequential – she's dead. The killer panicked for whatever reason and tried to get rid of the body the fastest way possible. Somewhere no one would just casually look."

"A dumpster," Miroku agreed, nodding.

"Exactly," Inuyasha spat, spinning once more and only stopping himself with the splay of his hands on the countertop. "The killer panicked and dumped the body the fastest way they knew how in that moment. They aren't trained, they've never done this before. They're freaking out so they do what's simple. But then the dump truck came and took the body away."

"Wouldn't that be a good thing though?" Sango asked, humming. "The body is gone and away from the crime scene. Why go to all this trouble—" She exhaled noisily, cutting herself off again. "Evidence."

"Exactly. And this is where our master puppeteer comes in with all the strings. Our killer has contacts somehow. Needed to get the whole thing cleaned up and solved. If the body was found somehow – like it was – it could be traced back to them."

"There are multiple landfills, and no way to find the body in advance so when the Jane Doe was found, they followed the body to the lab," Sango concluded.

"Where it was there less than a day before being removed," Inuyasha agreed. "Not just massive connections – _powerful ones_."

"Does this narrow down the search any?" Kagome asked, hesitant. "I mean, I wouldn't know how to find someone to clean up my mess like that."

Inuyasha considered it for a moment before shaking his head. "In this city, with a financial district that didn't even suffer during our biggest recession in fifty years – a lot of people could fit the bill. The pool is still far too large."

Suddenly, Sango's cell phone went off, distracting them all. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, watching as she pulled it out and then immediately stepped away, putting her finger up. Her sergeant, then. A body was found.

One he thought they should know about, meaning it pertained to one of their cases. And the only one at the top of the docket right now? The lab burglary.

It didn't make sense, unless—

When she came back, the grim expression on her face was all the confirmation he needed. Inuyasha flew to put his leather jacket back on, waiting impatiently for the female detective to deliver more details. Where was Kagome's— Jacket. There it was. He tossed it at her.

"What are you—"

"They found a body, something for the case." He raised irritated eyebrows towards Sango. "Care to spill?"

"The six-four was called in for a DOA, looks like a stabbing. It got passed along to the sarge, because it's one of those cases." Sango's lips pursed even tighter.

"One of those…?"

"A half-breed," Miroku supplied then, blue eyes solely on Inuyasha even as he answered the woman. "When Inuyasha said the missing victim was a half-breed, we requested a notification on any recent or future deaths. Half-breeds are rare enough as it is."

"We can't ignore that the missing victim was one," Sango concluded, nodding. "And now it may have paid off."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "A stabbing, related to a burglary?" It was only then his mind supplied several different ways in which a case like this could be related. But no, he couldn't consider them now, not without the scene before him and evidence to consider. Anything else would be bias.

"There's only one problem." The statement was as ominous as it should have been, Sango's magenta eyes dark pools as she considered him. "Koga's been called in to cover."

"Jesus— For fuck's sake," Inuyasha snapped, growling. "How does he get his greasy claws absolutely everywhere?"

Kagome frowned, putting on her jacket. "Who's Koga?"

"One of our precinct's forensic pathologists," Miroku explained.

Inuyasha snorted, derisive. "And a fucking hack."

"He's not that bad."

"He's not that bad?" Inuyasha could barely contain his incredulousness. "He's the level of trash that actual garbage aspires to be. His work never does more than confirms what I see at a glance."

Sango sighed. "He's mostly mad because Koga won't work with him."

"I would rather shoot my face off than work with him." Inuyasha actually kicked at the wall, annoyance practically vibrating from his body. Of all the fucking pathologists in the world, he was stuck with this one. This stupid wolf demon that had an ego the size of the fucking Bermuda Triangle and just as deadly. Because anyone with an ego that big was bound to destroy everything around it with its sheer _incompetency_. "How the hell am I going to see the scene now?"

"Seeing isn't an issue," Miroku said, placating. He stood up from the stool and tried to go over to him, but Inuyasha dodged. Tactility wasn't his thing, no matter what Miroku preferred. "We'll make sure. Sarge is already smoothing the way."

It didn't matter. It never mattered. Without a forensic pathologist to detail the finer things about the body – the few things that even Inuyasha couldn't point out – then his conclusions were only with partial facts. No, he needed someone that would work with him, that could analyse the body and provide the minute details he was missing. Or at the very least, _confirm_. It wasn't a big ask but god, did it seem impossible.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome was only about a foot away, staring up at him in confusion. She had said his name a few times now, already. The worry etched lines into her skin. "Are you sure you want to go?"

Wrong question. A _bad _question, even. But the puzzle pieces saw her face and it all shifted together, like tiny raindrops on a windowsill that made a puddle. "You," he breathed, exhilarated at just the thought.

The black-haired woman frowned. "Me?"

"You know illness, and death, and everything in between," Inuyasha stated, the words falling from him in a rush. "You quit your last job because it was unfulfilling, despite all the promises they made to you in school. It was never the workload – no, you've proven time and again you can handle anything, work extra hours without issue – but it _was _the completion rate. The ability to see things through. There was too much administrative work, too much paper and red tape and you couldn't stand it. That's why you quit being a doctor at Fairview. That's why you took the job as a lowly forensic assistant. You needed an out and they gave you a lifeline."

Kagome blinked at him, neither shock nor fear on her face. She was processing, her own puzzle pieces coming together before she blushed, cheeks highlighted in red. "Oh god," she muttered. "Did you just guess that?"

"I never guess," Inuyasha replied. They were close, too close. A foot away, maybe slightly more, but Inuyasha could see every nuance in her expression. She was intrigued, amazed even. The shock of it almost distracted him.

She bit her lip. "It's crazy how you know that."

"Am I right?" he demanded, voice harsh.

"Guys, this isn't the time—"

"Fuck off, Sango," Inuyasha barked, his eyes never leaving Kagome's. "Tell me I'm right," he said again.

"Yeah," she breathed out. He could feel the whoosh of it on his face. "All of it."

Inuyasha _knew _it, but the confirmation was a thrill up his spine, a shiver that chilled him to the bone and spread a fire of warmth along his veins. It was addicting, the way she said it. Like he was something to be treasured and praised, rather than ignored and outcast. "If I can promise you a job that gives you everything you need, would you take it?"

At that, the brown-eyed woman smiled. She laughed even, light despite the tension he could feel in his bones. "You offering?"

"And you're taking," Inuyasha replied. With that, he whirled around on the two detectives staring at him in shock. He didn't know what had happened to make them feel such a way, but he didn't have time to consider it. There was a body that he had to see, and he had someone by his side who could help him. And Kagome had more than proven herself so far, a constant light at his side that burned regardless of him fanning the flames.

Interesting. Intriguing.

Inuyasha pushed it all aside. "Text me the address," he demanded, herding them towards the front door of his apartment. "We'll meet you there."

"You're not seriously considering taking our damn witness to another crime scene—" But Sango's protest died on her lips when Inuyasha glared at her.

"She's with me," he stated firmly. No room for discussion. Ever. "Text me."

Miroku was the only smart one sometimes. He grabbed his partner by the elbow and all but dragged her out towards the stairs. "She'll send the address, don't worry. Don't get yourself killed on that damn bike."

"As long as you don't drive like a grandmother to the scene," Inuyasha replied, slamming the door in their faces and locking it. He tabbed at the security panel and then darted across the room towards the elevator. Kagome was already there, purse slung over her shoulder and jacket on. She was calm and collected, despite not knowing exactly what she was getting into.

_Intense situations are kind of my thing_.

Not a tremor in her hand, a nervous shifting of her body weight. No anxious stares. The woman beside him seemed for all the world like she was heading towards the grocery store.

"I'll need you to examine the body," Inuyasha told her, his gaze assessing every twitch, every flicker of her movement. He wanted to know – craved solving the mystery that was Dr. Kagome Higurashi – but she only shrugged easily.

"I kind of figured. You offering me a job the second a dead body appears and you clearly hate the pathologist…" She shrugged again. "Not a hard connection."

"Most people are too stupid."

"You seem to think _all_ people are too stupid," she agreed readily, though there was a smile curving at her lips. Humour. Barely a day, and they were trading remarks like old friends. Or, rather, that's what Inuyasha could only assume. Friends weren't really his…thing.

"And I'm rarely wrong."

It wasn't arrogance. It wasn't a superiority complex or hatred of the inferior or anything else. It was fact, plain and simple. Most people didn't get that. Most got offended or agitated or started to make excuses that only made them look worse. But Kagome remained calm, simply stepping into the elevator when the doors slid smoothly open.

"This is your last chance," Inuyasha stated, trying for casual. He didn't dare look at her. "You can back out. You don't have to get on the motorcycle."

Kagome actually laughed at that. "Are you always this nervous asking someone to be your partner?"

Smirking, Inuyasha waited the couple of seconds before the elevator doors opened. He stepped out towards his KTM bike, grabbing the helmet that was already labelled as _hers _in his head and handing it over.

He never did answer her question.

Kagome was smart enough to figure it out on her own.

* * *

**Next Time on _Deductions_:**

"He saved my life," was all she said, tone final.

It meant nothing to the wolf demon. "Inuyasha's a psychopath. He feels nothing. The sooner you get that, the better."

"For fuck's sake." The words were growled out, familiar already, and Kagome bit back a grin as Koga's face instantly grimaced at Inuyasha's arrival. "'I'm a psychopath'? Do you even know what that means? I'm a fucking genius with a low tolerance for stupidity; hardly qualifies me for ASPD. If you want to meet a psychopath so badly, I could introduce you to my brother."

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews: **

Questions: Aww thank you so much! That's such a compliment :) I hope you liked this chapter as well!

Guest: I know! These chapters are shorter than I normally do, but I didn't want to set a standard XD I feel like with TFOM it needs to be a certain length, always. This is a lot more flexible but the end comes so fast, even when I'm writing! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Mya: Thank you, so much better! You're a dear.

Mal: Ugh, I wish. Honestly, now that I've been laid off the running joke has been that I should try to finish something I'd be comfortable publishing. Ugh. But I don't think I would ever feel that level of comfort XD Honestly couldn't resist adding in Inuyasha meeting Kagome's mom and grandfather. It was impossible to not include. Thank you, thank you my dearest!

Guest: It is back! And again! And I swear it will be finished. It's actually almost completely done (I'm about 6 chapters ahead) so soon enough you'll have it all. Your 'bless Miroku' comment had me dying. YES. THAT. Thank you dear!

* * *

**Feedback is love. Stay safe everyone.**


	6. (5) Almost Like Fear

**Author's Note: **I want to send a HUGE, LOVING shout out to Wolfcry77 on Tumblr, whose art for both _Deductions _and _That Flesh of Mine_ blew me away. It honestly made me work harder at this, so thank you lovely. I appreciate you so much!

**Warnings**: graphic descriptions of murder, violence and dead bodies. There is also derogatory language and slurs directed towards a main character (canon in style, but given the state of this AU world, the implications could be considered worse). If you have any questions, please reach out to me prior to reading.

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 5: Almost Like Fear_

* * *

The street was filled with bystanders.

Kagome should have known that would be the case, considering it was the middle of the day in one of the busiest districts in the city. It was known easily as the food market, a place where you could get dishes inspired from around the world at reasonable prices. It was always crawling with people, the barely-legal to the ancient, who toddled along with their assistive mobile devices and a wrapped bottle of booze in the basket.

None of them were celebrating right now.

The police had put up a heavy blockade, stopping people far beyond the actual location of the murder victim. She only knew this because Inuyasha whispered it to her the moment he parked his bike just outside of the crime scene tape. One of the cops seemed to acknowledge him, her expression pinching briefly into terror before she jumped on the walkie-talkie and waved him in.

Inuyasha didn't smirk, but the corner of his lips did curl slightly.

It was goddam distracting.

Detectives Tsujitani and Houko appeared out of nowhere, coming from behind and taking over. Another detective greeted them a few feet away, a smile already in place as she made her way towards them. "Miroku!" she cheered, clearly pleased to see him.

The male detective smiled back, warm if not as receptive. "Koharu, I didn't know you were with the six-four."

"Two months, just transferred from Hiba."

"Of course," Inuyasha muttered under his breath, diverting Kagome's focus to him. He seemed to do that without even trying, like she was honed in on him.

"What?" she asked, hoping her discomfort at the realization didn't show. Inuyasha picked up on everything.

The silver-haired man didn't even look her way, though. His golden eyes were zeroed in on the two chatting detectives, his expression exasperated. "Detective Koharu Orikasa. She's had a crush on Miroku since they met at the Academy. Sango's going to be pissy for the rest of the day now."

It felt like the same question was the only right one. "What?" she pressed again. "How can you possibly know that?"

"Look at her," Inuyasha encouraged, gesturing not-too-subtly at the newly arrived detective. "Flushed cheeks, hasn't looked away from Miroku once, not even to greet Sango. Heart beat is higher though your human hearing won't pick that up." He shrugged. "Now look at Sango."

And…yeah. She didn't look happy, though Kagome wanted to argue it could have been about being ignored. Then again, Inuyasha had a relationship with the two detectives and she barely knew them. Detective Tsujitani and the new female kept chatting idly as they moved forward into the crime scene. Kagome – new to all of this – simply followed along. It was the strangest kind of rush: the bustling, the raised voices, and then… The body.

Kagome didn't even flinch. She'd seen more than enough dead bodies, even fresh ones like the man tucked in the alleyway, curling in on himself and propped against a brick wall. Blood painted the front of his shirt, the lap of his pants. It was everywhere, dark red and cloying.

His neck hung at a strange angle. The throat must have been slit.

"Who the hell let the mutt in here?" The unfamiliar voice sounded angry so Kagome turned, gaze automatically landing on Inuyasha just in time to watch him roll his eyes. Again. He did that a lot.

"Koga, it's been cleared." Detective Orikasa waved a hand at them all. "Related case, possibly."

The man she was speaking to – Koga – was covered in protective gear. His hood was down though, long brown hair tied back in a pony tail. His skin was tanned, a stark contrast to the ice blue of his eyes. He was clearly demon, his fangs protruding a little as he curled his lip Inuyasha's way. "Detectives Tsujitani and Houko I get," he snarked, "but the mutt is another story."

Inuyasha flexed his claws and smirked, unmistakably vicious. "Call me that again, you mangy fucking wolf, and we'll have another homicide to investigate."

"The two of you, my god," Detective Tsujitani whined, stepping in between them. "And Koga, shut the fuck up."

"I actually belong here," Koga growled. "He's nothing more than a freak."

"And you're nothing more than a jerk." The words were out before she could stop them, and five pairs of eyes turned to face her. It was intimidating as hell but Kagome held her ground, crossing her arms and stepping closer to Inuyasha's side.

Ice blue eyes looked her up and down, at first a sneer that turned inquisitive. "And who are you?" The question wasn't even said rudely, simply curious. Like what she said earlier had zero bearing now that he had sized her up.

"My partner," Inuyasha cut in. "Koga, meet Dr. Kagome Higurashi. Your presence is no longer needed, wolf. Toodle-fucking-loo."

"Still my crime scene. I'm the pathologist on-site," Koga argued, but the male detective was stepping in front of him, herding him away.

"No different than any other time. Give him a few minutes. Go get your coffee or whatever," he directed. "And stop saying dumb shit."

Inuyasha snorted. "He can't help it. His IQ is that of a lemming."

"You asshole—"

"Inuyasha!" Detective Tsujitani groaned.

But the silver-haired man was already pulling away, crouching down in front of the body. Without anything better to do, Kagome followed, taking in the scene. She had never, ever done anything like this before. As a doctor, she'd seen victims only after they'd been hurt, or attacked. Some had died, most had lived. Some wounds were self-inflicted, while others were brought on by partners or friends or strangers, ill-intent or not. This was different. She could feel it in her bones but instead of shaking apart like she thought she would, Kagome felt that familiar sort of adrenaline rush that she had at the lab. Just a tingle of it, burning underneath her fingertips.

What did that mean about her?

"Focus, Kagome," Inuyasha barked suddenly, breaking through the haze of her thoughts.

She blinked and tried to listen, but what exactly did he want her to do?

Inuyasha was back to standing up, twisting around the body to see it from every single angle. "I need gloves," he commanded then, holding out a hand as if he expected someone to place them there.

To her shock, Detective Tsujitani actually did. He must have seen her expression because he grinned a little and passed her another pair. "It's a routine."

"Don't dumb it down," Inuyasha mumbled, though there was no heat in it. In fact, Kagome noted that it seemed more of an automatic response than anything else. He was tying back his long silver hair into a bun, as if that made their blatant disregard for crime scene procedure any better. "Do you have your gloves?" he asked, without looking at her.

Kagome hurried to snap hers on and joined him, taking in the victim much like Inuyasha was doing. The victim was huge – well-built, muscled and scarred – and even though he was sitting, she could tell he was extremely tall. Her eyes raked his frame, trying to estimate it.

"Eleven feet," Inuyasha stated suddenly. "Over six hundred pounds. I'd say six-twenty." He grunted, eyes narrowing. "Six-forty-five."

"I guess his size makes him an easier target," she murmured. There were so many scars on his body, even one or two burn marks. What had the man done? Her mind wanted to run with it, some sort of fancy, fleeting thought that this had nothing to do with the case at the lab and instead was mob related. Gunned down in the street? Daytime?

But Inuyasha's words were a hard slash of reality. "Being a half-breed makes you an easier target," he said evenly, "size has nothing to do with it." With a jerk of his head, he gestured towards one of the longest scars on the man's forearm. "This? When he was twelve, thirteen maybe. Knife, dull. See how it's mottled closest to the wrist? He was stabbed first, probably pinned down onto his back. There had to have been a group of them helping. Then they dragged it up, past his elbow. Schoolyard bullying at it's finest."

She didn't want to gasp, but it was that or be physically sick. A large part of her wanted to refuse what he was saying because there was no way he could have known for sure. It was just conjecture, all of it, but so far everything Inuyasha had ever said to her had been the truth. And it was clear the two detectives believed him enough to keep him involved despite his attitude. The fact that he was here at all, at another precinct's case, just because he was _that good_—

"Focus," he stated again. "Tell me what you see." Inuyasha nodded towards the half-breed's form.

Kagome boggled at what to say. "I'm not a pathologist," she repeated, feeling at a loss.

"I'm more than aware," he answered dryly. "_Think, _Kagome. Observe."

Observe. Okay, she could do that.

Start with the basics. Kagome took a deep breath and looked the body over. Male, half-breed, eleven feet tall, over six hundred pounds. Muscular, scarred. Sitting against the brick wall, but it was a little more spread than that, more his chest up than his full back. The victim's throat was slit. Kagome leaned down further, eyeing the neck.

"Victim's name is Jinenji Egawa. His wallet was in his jeans. Money in there too, so it doesn't appear to have been a mugging gone wrong," Koharu stated.

"Hate crime?" Detective Houko asked.

"I'd say so. Check under his shirt."

At that, Kagome spared a glance at Inuyasha who had been apparently watching her the whole time. He gestured towards the shirt and Kagome nodded, the two of them carefully lifting the drenched cotton. On the man's chest and stomach was a single word, carved into his skin: _MONGREL_.

"Jesus," Detective Tsujitani muttered before swearing again. "Fucking Koga."

Kagome was too focused on the carving of the words to see, but something was clearly happening behind her. Detective Houko grunted and Inuyasha looked up for a second before rolling his eyes. "You don't need to protect my honour," the silver-haired man said.

"He knew and he still said that—"

"Because he's as smart as a lemming, like I said." Inuyasha raised his brows. "Didn't think you cared so much."

The blue-eyed detective grumbled. "Yeah, well, I hate that guy."

At that, Inuyasha smirked and returned his gaze to the body. "I told you so."

There was a groan, followed only by Detective Houko chuckling at him. Kagome heard it in the abstract as she lowered the victim's shirt and went back to examining his face, hands touching the cool skin and pressing.

"Ready yet?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome hummed a little, twisting so that she could lift the back of the victim's shirt where his back was curling into the ground. "I guess," she said finally. "All of this would need to be verified with the pathologist—"

"Yeah, that idiot, I know. But right now, I'm asking what _you_ think."

"Well, cause of death is a slit throat. A sharp blade, probably a knife. Based on the length of the cut, the deepened entry point and the tail abrasion on the victim's neck, our assailant was left-handed and attacked from behind. There's a lot of blood, so it's too hard to tell how deep the wound goes but based on the amount of fluid I'd guess the carotid artery was severed. The skin is blanching, and the body temp is cooling. Rigor mortis is setting in though only the early stages." She touched the victim's eyelids gently, pointing them out. "These are locked, but the hands are still weak. Lividity is barely visible. I'd guess time of death was only a few hours ago. Two, three? I don't have a thermometer so that's really rough."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "What else?"

"Cuts on the chest were likely done post-mortem, but immediately after death. Without a lab, there's no way to confirm but the carving is smooth rather than hacked. No hesitation cuts. Unless our victim willingly and unflinchingly allowed someone to do it, they were dead. There are defensive wounds though on the arms; too hard to tell on the hands with all of the blood. Scratches, some bruising. It seems like there was only a small fight before the throat was slit, at which point he clutched his neck."

"Good." At Inuyasha's words, she let go of the victim's arm, watching as the man stood up and moved around the alleyway.

"Couldn't you have gotten all that from Matsuno?" Detective Orikasa asked, somewhat hesitantly. "I mean, you clearly don't get along but he has instruments—"

"Did you fucking forget the part where he's a lemming?" Inuyasha interrupted, not even deigning to look the detective's way. He paused in his inspection of some garbage bags across the alley, nails clicking against each other as he pondered. "Besides, he failed to mention the left-handed thing to you. Your facial expression when Kagome mentioned it gave it away."

"It's only a—"

Whirling on her, Inuyasha silenced Kagome with a glare. "Don't you fucking say 'guess' again."

"Yeah," Detective Tsujitani drawled out slowly. "Well as much fun as this is, what do you think happened here? It's clearly a hate crime."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes so hard, Kagome actually winced watching. "It was _made _to look like a hate crime," he growled out. "Or it's simply a bonus feature. Detective, what time was the body called in?" Without even waiting for an answer, he pulled out his cell phone, fingers dancing across the screen.

The new female detective looked a little shocked to be spoken to again, stuttering as she flipped through her notebook. "Call came in at around eleven."

When he didn't say anything, Detective Houko appeared to be far too smug and leaned over. "You'll need to give him an exact time."

"11:10 AM," she corrected, frowning.

Inuyasha grunted, his cell phone going back in his pocket. He pointed at the half-breed victim, golden gaze blazingly sharp. "Take a look at him, will you? See how massive he is? What moron would try to kill him?"

Clearly he was waiting for some kind of answer. Kagome opened her mouth, but Detective Tsujitani beat her to it. "Someone who hates half-breeds?"

"Christ, get out of that mindset," Inuyasha snapped. "_No_. Someone who _has _to. Death was caused by a slit throat but look at the thickness and diameter of his neck. Let's imagine Miroku jumping on the back of this guy with a knife and trying to slit his throat."

"The victim would throw him off," Kagome answered. "By the time they got their arms properly set around his neck to cause the slit we see here, he would have felt someone on him for long enough to shake them."

"Exactly and this guy's been fighting off assholes all his life. Apparently, he's a shit fighter but he has instincts."

"And how do you know that?" Detective Orikasa demanded.

"It's called Google."

"I meant—" She cut herself off. "We're still digging up information on him, but his wallet indicated that he lived three blocks north of here. His employee badge was there. He worked for _The Guardian_."

"That's the other side of town," Kagome pointed out.

"And not why Jinenji was here." Inuyasha's nails never stopped clicking against each other. "Have your officers canvas and knock on doors. We'll find out why soon enough. As for his death, he was drugged first. Something likely inhaled or injected, though the entry site would have to be lost in the cut because I don't see it. It would have to be potent, working within less than a minute. The victim fought at first; you can see the crack in the brick where the murderer's head hit before he fell into the bags of garbage. The pile on the right side is stacked but the left side is compressed and a few bags have rolled away."

He spun around again, gesturing dismissively to their surroundings. "We're deep enough in the alley that at around ten in the morning it'd be a safe bet to attack. Restauranteurs would have been inside already preparing for the lunch hour. It's a workday and the only breakfast place is further down, two blocks away. No, here was secluded enough." He grunted, whirling once more to stare at the dead body. Kagome watched him before doing the same, trying to see exactly what he saw. It felt impossible. The connections he was making, the extrapolated data seemed so far-fetched.

But the drugs— Kagome frowned and started to re-examine the victim as best as she could.

"Our murderer is a demon," Inuyasha stated then, "who attacked Jinenji by leaping off of the roof and covering his nose with a cloth filled with drugs. My guess would be fentanyl. Snorted, in the right dosage, would make him intoxicated quite quickly. Not before he threw off his assailant though." He pointed to the brick again, then the garbage bags. "He would have stumbled towards the wall, breathing depression already in effect. He'd go down to his knees, hence the bit of mud and gravel stuck to his pants there. At that height, he'd still be around eight feet tall, so either our murderer is also tall or they climbed him. Evidence suggests they climbed; just take a look at his pants in the folds by his thighs. While Jinenji was disoriented, they slit his throat. Blood splatter is uninterrupted along the brick, cognizant to arterial spray of a major artery – the carotid – as Kagome stated. The body was then twisted to the inelegant sprawl you see, and they carved into him to make it look like a hate crime."

Letting go of the half-breed's lip, Kagome nodded. "He definitely ingested some drug. Nasal passages appear to have some sort of powder but it'll need to be tested. Buccal mucosa is tinged blue."

"Fucking right," Inuyasha replied, golden gaze leaping from her to the body to the alley and around again. He smirked then, a slow menacing thing towards the female detective. "That should be all, I think. Make sure the mangy wolf gets his shit team to check out the roof and the crack in the brick. Doubtful we'll find anything but it's better than not looking at all."

"Wait," Detective Houko ordered, holding up her hand. "What about our case from the lab? Do you think there's a connection?"

Inuyasha scoffed. "How the fuck would I know, based on this? A burglary in a lab versus a murder on the street."

"But they're both half-breeds," Detective Orikasa argued. Kagome bit her lip as the silver-haired man shot the woman a glare so condescending, she actually wilted, gesturing helplessly to the blue-eyed detective. "Well, that's what he said!"

"Which is why he doesn't say much after I prove him wrong. He knows better," Inuyasha sneered. "I'll need to dig into this to determine if there's a connection or not. Consider this case to be mine. Well, yours, but in name only." He tugged off the gloves and flung them towards her. "Let's go, Kagome."

Apparently, that was it. Standing up from her crouch, she ignored the protest of her body and took off her own gloves. She handed them to Detective Houko, who appeared to be trying not to smile as the other female detective yelled at Tsujitani. "Thanks," Kagome murmured. "Good luck."

She snorted. "You more than me."

Kagome doubted that, but kept her mouth shut anyways. It wouldn't do to argue with the female detective, especially given all that had happened. Rushing to catch up with Inuyasha, she dodged police officers until she came to the motorcycle, sitting in the same place they had parked it. The only problem was that Inuyasha wasn't there.

"Crap," she muttered, looking around. Where would he have gone? She squinted to see through the scene, the bystanders outside of the police tape and the officers blocking their way. None of them had a red leather jacket, and surely it would have stuck out. A sharp cry echoed into the air, distracting her, but she couldn't see what was happening that far down. Maybe he was over—

"He's not who you think he is."

The voice startled her, making Kagome jump. She turned around to see Koga, the pathologist from before, standing with his arms crossed. He didn't look nearly as mean as when she'd seen him earlier, his face smoothed out and curious as he took her in. Kagome wasn't buying it. "You don't know what I think."

At that, the wolf demon smiled. It wasn't a happy smile, but it wasn't cruel either. Coy, almost. "I guess not but I saw you with him. You seem to think he's one of the good guys. The way he spouts information like a damn encyclopedia, putting situations together like magic. It's a neat trick when you first witness it."

Kagome took one last glance at her surroundings, but the silver-haired man was nowhere to be found. "It's hardly my first time witnessing it," she said finally, meeting his gaze. "And I don't think what he does can be called a 'trick.'"

"Call it whatever you want; I don't care. But there's something wrong with him and you need to watch out."

"Something wrong, like he's a half-breed?" Kagome challenged.

The bark of laughter startled her, coming from the wolf demon. Koga shook his head. "No, not that. You know he doesn't get paid for this, right? He's not even mentioned in the damn police reports, not officially. He does this for kicks, to prove he's the smartest asshole there is. Call me crazy, but anyone who actively seeks out murder investigations to participate in seems a bit off." His ice blue eyes settled on her, cold and searching. "Didn't know that, I bet."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because as much as you think I am, I'm not a complete asshole," Koga answered, shrugging. "You have a right to know that he does this as a hobby, that I've seen him get so angry when no one is listening to him that he's beaten someone's face in. He's violent and smart. That's not exactly a winning combination, is it?"

There was something about the way the pathologist was speaking, the chill that radiated off him. He meant every single word he was saying.

But how could he be right when Kagome had the evidence on her forehead that he was gentle? Gruff, and kind of a dick, sure. What Koga was describing seemed so hauntingly like a serial killer, or one in the making. There was no way the Inuyasha that she knew – limited experience as it was – was the same man that the wolf demon presented. It wasn't possible.

"He saved my life," was all she said, tone final.

It meant nothing to the wolf demon. "Inuyasha's a psychopath. He feels nothing. Any emotion you see is a performance, and his acting is as good as everything else he does. The sooner you get that, the better."

"For fuck's sake." The words were growled out, familiar already, and Kagome bit back a grin as Koga's face instantly grimaced at Inuyasha's arrival. "'I'm a psychopath'? Do you even know what that means? I'm a fucking genius with a low tolerance for stupidity; hardly qualifies me for ASPD. If you want to meet a psychopath so badly, I could introduce you to my brother."

"The mutt can't stay away," Koga chirped back. "What mystical findings did you conjure up today?"

Inuyasha sneered. "Nothing to get you fired yet, though your little detective on the case isn't too pleased with you." He grabbed the helmets resting on the motorcycle and passed one over. Kagome took it gratefully, putting it on and waiting for him to start the bike up. The roar of the engine wasn't enough to stop the wolf demon from talking though, his blue eyes now like steel.

"Remember what I said, Ms. Higurashi," Koga warned as she got on the motorcycle, her arms wrapping around Inuyasha's middle.

She opened her mouth to respond when Inuyasha answered for her, his voice something like a snarl. "It's _doctor_, you fucking moron."

It shouldn't have made her smile. With the helmet on, no one would have been the wiser anyways.

* * *

Kagome took in the house before her, eyeing the impressive doorways and overly large windows. She had absolutely no idea where they were or why.

"Here."

Reaching out automatically, Kagome took the blue bundle of cloth and frowned at it. She pulled it apart, recognizing it from the first crime scene she'd ever been a part of. "Gloves and… Boot covers?" Inuyasha was already walking down the side of the house so Kagome hurried to follow him, material clenched in her fist. "Where are we?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Inuyasha asked, his golden gaze focused on the doorway before them. It was to the garage, she was sure, though the door was quite massive. Inuyasha pulled out something from the inside of his leather jacket. It took a moment for her to realize they were lock-picks.

"What are you doing?" Kagome hissed, looking around them. She couldn't hear anyone and didn't see anything, but that didn't mean they wouldn't be caught. "That's illegal."

The detective snorted. "You realize that as the half-breed here, I'm probably going to hear someone coming before you are, right?"

"You're not answering any of my questions!"

"They're not particularly good ones," Inuyasha murmured. He narrowed his eyes, intently focused, and then there was a tiny click as the lock gave in. He spared her a glance as he put his tools away. "Think, Kagome. Where are we?"

She balked for only a moment before trying to piece together the little she knew. A tiny, heated rush flowed through her, dancing along her veins. Being with Inuyasha was dangerous. "The victim's place?"

Inuyasha raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"The victim's place," she repeated, firm.

"Good." Inuyasha opened the door then with his gloved hands, and then proceeded to put on the boot covers as he stepped inside. "Last time I did this, I didn't have the damn protective equipment. Miroku made all these sad eyes at me when they found my prints at the scene. I should have known better; Koga was on holiday and the pathologist on duty was far more efficient."

"So you do this a lot, then, is what I'm gathering," Kagome replied, following suit.

Inuyasha only smirked and Kagome figured for her sanity it was best that she didn't know the answer just yet. "I had to see a copy of Jinenji's wallet before we left. I wanted to search his place, try and figure out what kind of enemies he had besides the usual ones."

"Won't the cops be coming here?"

"Eventually, which is why we don't have very long. We'll get a bit more time though; Jinenij's mother arrived to the scene just before we left."

The cry. Kagome winced. "They managed to find her?"

"She found them. At least we know now why Jinenji was walking through that alleyway this morning." Inuyasha opened the door that led into the house, flipping on a switch with his elbow. He had to jump a little to reach it.

Kagome frowned. "What? How do you know that?"

Inuyasha paused, blinking at her, like he believed the train of thought to be rather obvious. When she only raised her eyebrows back, he huffed. "His mother owned the bake shop a few buildings down. She reeked of yeast, lavender and icing sugar, and had touches of powder on the collar of her shirt. She wasn't wearing a jacket so she saw the fuss from her window and headed outside without thinking properly. If she had been expecting her son, she'd likely have been worried. The view of the cops and the crowd would have alarmed her enough to go outside without thinking about herself."

"That's awful."

Inuyasha grunted. "It's a dead-end for the case though. I'm hoping we find more out here."

She frowned at him but let it slide, following his path through the house. Light streamed through oversized windows, giving the place a sort of peaceful feel. Everything was silent save for their movement within the house and even Kagome had to admit it was mostly all her. Inuyasha was like a silent hunter, scanning the surroundings until satisfied and moving on.

Or maybe not satisfied.

Not knowing what to really expect, Kagome looked for anything that would be considered strange. It was hard to tell though. Everything was massive, from the furniture to the utensils and the corridors. The house had clearly been remodeled for his size, as many demons had to do if they weren't within the standardized humanoid height. To her, everything looked…different.

To make it worse, as they searched through each room, Inuyasha became more and more irritated. Small things, at first, were noticeable to her. The way he clicked his nails against each other while in thought, golden eyes staring hard at a particular object like it would provide him with all of the answers. His pacing quickened, the way he took in the room became faster and faster with disdain clearly written across his expression. He opened a door, glared at it and then slammed it back in place before spinning around again.

"Do you see anything?" Kagome asked hesitantly, watching as his behaviour switched from the snarky asshole who feigned passivity to something far angrier and wired.

"I see a lot of things," he snapped back, a viciousness in his words that had never been there before. "Be specific."

Kagome pursed her lips, considered snapping back at him, but then let it go. "Anything helpful?"

"No," Inuyasha growled out, whirling around again and disappearing into another room. Kagome went to follow him but just as she was entering the doorway, Inuyasha was bursting back through it. His arm pushed against her shoulder, sending her staggering back a bit and _that _was just not on.

"Hey!" she cried out. "What the hell?"

But Inuyasha wasn't paying attention to her, or at least, not properly registering what was going on. It was like she was a ghost, inhabiting space but without any impact. He growled and pointed at a desk in the living room, near snarling as he said, "There's nothing here." Whirling around again, the silver-haired man made a beeline for the kitchen. "Absolutely fucking nothing. It's all useless. There's nothing to goddamn observe."

"I thought you said you saw a lot of things," Kagome sniped back, but the tone blew right over his head.

"And it's all _useless_," Inuyasha spat. "Jinenji Egawa, half-demon. Has a mother but never knew his father. Late twenties. Career-driven, clearly. His home is perfect for him but minimally decorated. They're all basic, mid-range pieces. Something you buy to fill the space and then forget. The dust on everything here is atrocious. He was rarely home, always at work. Has a nice kitchen but the appliances are hardly used; clearly done for his mother when she visited once a month. His hack into journalism was inspired by his search for his father, though he never got anywhere. But he's passionate about his work; the area with the least amount of dust is his desk. Faces the window, in the living room. He's lonely. No girlfriend or boyfriend. No snippets of work shit anywhere. But _why_?"

Crossing her arms, Kagome tried not to let her impressed expression show. "He keeps it all at the office?"

"Possibly, but unlikely. Work was the only successful thing in his life; he'd keep it with him at all times."

"That's a little depressing."

Inuyasha actually rolled his eyes at her. "It's massively depressing but what would you expect? He's a half-breed and an obvious one at that." He growled then and glared at the floor. "_Was_ a half-breed."

For a moment, the two of them were quiet. Inuyasha's golden gaze raked across the ground like he was reading something in the swirls of pattern. Kagome simply watched. Was Inuyasha this wound up because the case involved another half-breed like him? Or was this the way he always was: rude and inconsiderate and angry? Koga's words haunted her.

_I've seen him get so angry when no one is listening to him that he's beaten someone's face in._

She still couldn't believe it, even looking at him now. But, for the first time, there was a glimmer there of potential truth.

Kagome didn't like it.

"We need to go to his office," Inuyasha said, heading back to the way they came in. "It's the only way to get some fucking answers."

"To find out if the cases are connected?"

"To find out why he was murdered," Inuyasha replied, though his tone was far easier than what it had been earlier. Maybe because there was a new course of action, something to direct him towards. Maybe it was the promise of actual answers. "Connected to our other case or not, he was still killed."

"He was a journalist. Maybe it was something he was working on?" Kagome exited the house and took off the gloves and covers. Inuyasha grabbed them from her hands and threw them over the fence into the neighbour's backyard. "Hey!"

"They're assholes who kept filing complaints against Jinenji for reasons too stupid to name." Inuyasha gave what was very clearly a mean smirk. "Trash people get trash in their yards. Now come on."

"You didn't even..." Kagome huffed and jogged to catch up. He was speed-walking, but his version of it was far too much for her human legs. "How did you know that?"

"Pile of city records on the kitchen counter. He's at the end of the street, a street in which the default fencing is chain-link. The only fencing that's complete wood covering in between Jinenji's lot and his neighbours, and it's beyond the standard height. They didn't like looking at him. They wanted to get rid of him." Inuyasha shrugged and grabbed his helmet to put on. "But to answer your earlier question, we can't assume why he was killed until we can see all the facts. We go to his office and hopefully there's something to give us a fucking clue."

Putting on her own helmet, she narrowed her eyes at him. "And if you don't find anything, are you going to be as much of a dick as you were in there?"

The accusation made the silver-haired man pause for a moment, as if frozen in time. He shifted his gaze over to her, assessing and intent just like when he had barged into her apartment. But this time, there wasn't any kind of fiery amazement crawling within her. He was still brilliant, still beautiful, but that glimmer from within the house refused to back down, to lessen its light.

"Really?" he asked, and it wasn't vicious so much as it was irritated. Like the question was a dumb one, below him to even answer.

"Really." Kagome lifted her chin despite the helmet. "You want to be partners, right? Well we can only do that if you treat me like one all the time."

"When did I—?"

"When you knocked into me like a jackass," Kagome interrupted, not having it. "I'm not one of your detectives that you can be an asshole too. You asked _me _to work with _you_. And I—I want to work with you, too. But I'm not going to deal with your foul temper towards me when a crime scene isn't giving you the answers you want!"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "This isn't a crime scene."

"_That's _what you focused on?" Kagome cried out.

"It was an obvious mistake!" Inuyasha snapped back, opening his mouth to continue before he growled and spun around, putting his back to her. Blinking, she only had a moment to wonder if she was going to need Sota to come and pick her up, if this – whatever this was – was over before it had even properly begun. But before Kagome could say anything more, Inuyasha turned back to face her. "Fine."

"…Fine?"

"I won't do—" He made a face. "That whole thing."

"The snapping at me and the hitting me?"

"I didn't—" Inuyasha took a breath. "Yes. I won't do that."

This was almost painful. Kagome got the impression that the consulting detective apologize very often. "And?"

Groaning, Inuyasha glared at her. "And _what_?"

"You're sorry?"

It took a moment. A long moment, in all honesty, to the point where Kagome was almost positive Inuyasha was going to say 'fuck it' and leave her at Jinenji's house by herself. He made one face, then another, the expression ranging from incredulousness at her suggestion to something almost like fear. It was there and gone in a moment though. Finally, the silver-haired man nodded. "I am."

Not exactly what she was going for, but it would clearly have to do. Inuyasha's head turned sharply towards the main road and Kagome got the feeling that the police were very much on their way. "Let's go then."

"Thank god," Inuyasha muttered but she caught a glimpse of his eyes. Whatever fear used to be there was gone.

* * *

_The Guardian _was a well-established news agency that more or less had a monopoly on the Greater Hakurei Area. In the time of digitalization, monetization, and minutes spent staring at a screen, they were one of the few print companies that had managed to survive. It wasn't a great survival, but it existed nonetheless. It covered everything, which was why Kagome wasn't overly surprised when they had to be screened through a metal detector before entering.

The receptionist eyed Kagome only briefly before turning her attention to Inuyasha, her gaze shooting up and down in obvious pleasure.

It disappeared five seconds after he opened his mouth.

The police had already arrived, Detective Koharu Orikasa from earlier among them. When the receptionist put up a small fight at the fact that Inuyasha refused to take a visitor's badge, the consulting detective promptly told her to go cry about it to her cats before storming past her.

Kagome was horrified. "Sorry about that," she muttered, before chasing behind Inuyasha like always. Without a visitor's badge, obviously.

"For fuck's sake, don't touch anything," Inuyasha was yelling out, briskly headed down a hallway like he knew exactly where he was. Maybe he did know though she certainly didn't. Maybe he could smell…the police? "Koharu! Don't let them touch anything!"

"We are in an office," Kagome hissed, giving awkward smiles to the judging or solemn glances thrown their way at the ruckus. "People are trying to work!"

"I'm trying to work," Inuyasha replied. "And I can't do that if they fuck it all up like they always do."

"You seriously have no faith in the police," Kagome commented.

"And you keep repeating this over and over like I'll have an epiphany and suddenly want to treat them better." Inuyasha snorted. "Good fucking luck."

Detective Orikasa looked just as unhappy to see them as she had when they left. Despite that, the detective didn't put up any kind of fight when Inuyasha demanded everyone leave the room. If Inuyasha was surprised by her acquiescence, he didn't show it, merely walking through the room to take everything in. Kagome took it all in as well, though her gaze more often than not landed on the silver-haired man. The way his eyes roamed in a sweeping motion, what he focused on versus what he left alone. It was a kind of puzzle all its own.

"Jinenji's boss says that he tended to work odd hours. He's been with _The Guardian_ since he was a co-op student," the female detective stated, reading off her notebook. "Everyone at the office liked him. He was quiet but a good worker. One of their best writers."

"Any issues because he was a half-breed?" Kagome asked.

"Only one incident two years ago," she replied, lips pursing. "But the individual who was causing the problems was let go within five days of their hiring."

Inuyasha grunted. "The editor's brother-in-law is a demon. She knows that if her sister chooses to have kids with him, they'd have a half-breed. She treated Jinenji no differently than anyone else."

The detective opened her mouth and then closed it, exhaling loudly through her nose. "Never mind."

Between one second and the next, with inhuman speed, Inuyasha sat down at Jinenji's desk. It didn't startle her as much as him leaping off of his own staircase, but it was enough to get her feet moving towards him. He was shaking the mouse impatiently, glaring at the screen.

"It's password protected," Detective Orikasa stated. "We're already having them try to access his password. It'll be in their network."

"Don't bother," Inuyasha replied. He started opening desk drawers.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked, taking a stack of papers when they were dumped into her hands.

"I need—Clues." Inuyasha tossed a photograph by the laptop, eyes narrowing as he pulled up scraps of paper. "I need to understand him."

The female detective came closer, frowning. "Jinenji?"

"Who else?"

"Not all of us have brains that work as fast as yours," Kagome replied tersely. It was almost impossible to stop herself though from taking in the picture, gaze searching for… For what?

Clues.

Damn the infuriating, silver-haired consulting detective.

The photo was of Jinenji, though it was obviously taken long, long ago. An older woman was in the frame with him – his mother – and the two were standing by a garden, hands dirty. There was greenery all around them, a variety of herbs and plants in front of them. A quick snort distracted her and soon there was quick and nimble typing on the keyboard.

"Obvious," Inuyasha muttered to himself, hitting enter somewhat brutishly. "Can't believe I didn't guess it right away."

The password worked. Kagome blinked at the computer monitor in surprise. "You guessed his password?"

The female detective huffed out an incredulous breath and moved around the desk. "You _what_?"

"I never guess." Inuyasha started clicking through files, looking at recent documents. "Passwords are a reflection of the person, even dumb ones. People need something to latch onto; sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But in the end, the passwords they choose have meaning no matter what they pick. Jinenji wasn't any different."

Kagome couldn't believe it. "And his password?"

"Lavender1991."

"The year of his birth, but why lavender?" Detective Orikasa asked. She bent down to look over his shoulder but Inuyasha shot her a dirty glare and swivelled the chair to push her away.

"You're the detective, figure it out."

"This is _my case_," the woman shot back with, clearly irritated by his behaviour and pushed too far. "I don't care how amazing Miroku says you are, you can't just do these things without explanation. There's due process."

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha stabbed at the photograph with his clawed finger. "Look."

"There are lavender plants," Kagome said quietly, slowly piecing it together. "And you said earlier that his mom smelled like lavender."

"And yeast and icing sugar," Inuyasha confirmed, nodding. He opened a file folder on the desktop and scowled before closing it for another. "Her bakery is famous for its lavender macarons. It's a recipe the two of them worked on together when he grew up. His fondest memories and all that shit."

"That's a lucky guess!" Detective Orikasa exclaimed.

"Like I said, I never guess." Inuyasha grunted and spun in the chair. "Get the receptionist to give us a list of all of his current stories. Any lead he was working on. Anything that had caught his attention. Anyone who had visited him within the last month or two."

She sighed at him. "We're already working on it."

"Well ask again, then."

Kagome hid her eye roll, idly sorting through the scraps of paper Inuyasha had earlier tossed onto the desk. Almost all of the slices of paper had nothing more than a word or two, maybe a name or a date. Kagome couldn't make sense of them, try as she might. She figured, if Inuyasha had looked at them with any seriousness, he probably would have solved not only why Jinenji had written them down, but what story they were linked to and how.

She flattened one in her palm and then took in the scribbled writing, reading it once and then again to make sure. "Hey, Inuyasha, look." She pressed the scrap into the tabletop, underlining the last name and date with her finger. "This is dated just over two weeks ago."

"Could be nothing," Inuyasha murmured, but focused on the paper with his golden gaze regardless. "Do any of the other pieces have a date closer to today?"

"Not that I've seen so far." Kagome sorted through the papers, but those that did have a date written on them were for at least a month before, if not further away. She told Inuyasha as much, noticing that he was tapping away at his smartphone.

"Fucking amazing," he breathed out, and for the first time all day it didn't sound sarcastic. Jumping up, he left Jinenji's office, his long silver hair flaring dramatically behind him.

"Where the hell is he going?" Detective Orikasa demanded.

Kagome had forgotten that she was even there. "I don't know?" But if she was stuck between being in an office with the detective or following her own annoying but attractive consulting detective… It was no contest. She leapt to follow, head swivelling up and down the hallway before deciding. She didn't know Inuyasha all that well, but if she had to think about his next steps, it would always start with not trusting the police.

And that meant going to the receptionist to ask for the files himself.

His long silver hair was a dead giveaway to his location, and if not that then his red leather jacket clearly stood out amongst the polos, dress shirts and khakis. He was scowling but Kagome didn't really expect anything else.

"Detective Orikasa said she had already asked," Kagome felt compelled to say as she approached. He spared her a glance, glared at the ceiling and then twisted around so that he was facing her completely.

"It's not for the files," Inuyasha stated, nails clacking against each other rhythmically. "Though that'd be fucking helpful, too. I need to see his past appointments."

"So you do think it has something to do with his job," Kagome pressed.

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha glared back up at the ceiling. He seemed to do that a lot. "I think, but it's nothing more than a guess. I don't guess," he reminded her, though there was a distinct lack of sneering. Was it because of her request, or because this walkaround had been panning out with clues? "Regardless, Jinenji was meeting with this person on several occasions. I want to know why."

"I thought you said you still needed to see his appointments?"

"I do. To confirm." Inuyasha pointed at the scrap of paper again. "See the wear on this? The faded smudge on the name? This was something Jinenji looked at often. But why? Writing a story, even a risky one, may require a few meet-ups but they'll be logged. Officially reported, even if the source is anonymous. _The Guardian _needs to keep track of everyone – where they are, what story. Anything else would be stupid."

"Okay, that makes sense. But you have that look—"

"What look?" Inuyasha cut in.

"Which means that you think this wasn't recorded at all."

The consulting detective froze. He was silent for a moment, and out of the corner of Kagome's eye she could see the receptionist returning, a stack of papers in her hand.

"Good."

Blinking, she focused back on his face. "What?"

"Don't make me repeat myself, I fucking hate it." With that, Inuyasha directed his glare to the receptionist and held out his hand, silently demanding the papers.

The woman looked about as happy to help him as she had when he walked in. "There's only one appointment matching that last name, but Jinenji said they never ended up showing."

"What day?"

"Uh—"

"Christ, you're useless," Inuyasha muttered, walking away. He didn't go far though, only to the front main doors without opening them. His hands were sorting through the papers, golden gaze scanning them. Kagome took the pages he discarded, passing them off without even looking at her. He was on to something, connecting whatever the hell connections were secretly there.

Inuyasha was mumbling under his breath, words too fast for her to even understand. It seemed like an eternity, though was probably only a couple minutes, when he hissed. "_Finally. _And we have a first name."

"It could be a fake."

"Could be," Inuyasha conceded. He let go of the papers without care, letting the white sheets fall to the ground. His cell phone was in his hand, fingers flying across the touch screen. Kagome inched closer to see what he was doing but he whirled around then, golden eyes wide. "_How_?" he demanded, loudly and to no one in particular. There was that agitation again, the tenseness that lined every muscle in his shoulders. His sharp nails were tapping erratically against each other. "How, how, how, _why_—"

"What is it?" Kagome asked, the centre of his storm of sharp demands and fallen paper. When the consulting detective didn't make a move to pay attention to her, she grabbed his shoulder and tugged. "Inuyasha, what is it?"

"Sara Asano," he said, without preamble. "That's the name on the appointment." He reactivated his phone and practically pushed the screen into her face. It took a moment to understand, to see anything. It was an…Instagram page. A public one, with tons of photos featuring one particular woman.

A woman with a slightly different face, but familiar all the same. Kagome would know; she fought for her.

"Sara Asano was meeting with our most recent dead victim," Inuyasha went on, pulling the phone away from her to tap on something. He showed it off again. This was a bikini photo, the woman laughing poolside with a drink in her hand.

And a tattoo on her ribs: a circle with beautiful black ink ensnaring the words _totum_.

Inuyasha was smirking. It was wicked and cruel and almost painfully wonderful. "We've found out who our missing Jane Doe is."

* * *

**Next Time on **_**Deductions**_**:**

"State of your outfit," Inuyasha replied automatically. "Shirt rumpled, pants stained and your collar has gone to shit. But your desk is so neat, you point your fucking pens in the northern direction." When he saw the woman open her mouth, he pointed a finger at her. "Don't be dumb and lie. You have a spare change of clothes in your drawer like all officers do, but you haven't changed because when your sergeant calls you in, you want to show your work ethic without the glamour."

"That's amazing," Kagome breathed, and the awe in it was enough to distract Inuyasha into looking at her. She was smiling at him, pleased, like he'd done something especially good when all he'd done is look at the facts and collate. Simple.

And yet.

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

Mal: Thanks love :) It's been a very crazy world the past month so I know I'm not alone in this. So happy you loved the last chapter, and I hope Koga's inclusion was up to snuff for this! Every Sherlock needs an Anderson (to fight with, if nothing else). And honestly, thank you! We'll see what I'm able to crank out in these couple months that I'm home. Hopefully something worth pursuing on the original track! You're the bestest, dear.

Guest: Well, I am so, so happy to be a distraction during these horrible times. I hope you and yours are taking care and staying safe :) I'm taking the time to write as much as possible, so hopefully I can keep trying to brighten up some days! I _have _updated TFOM so your prayers have been answers hehe. And you'll likely see another update for Chapter 16 sooner rather than later. COVID-19 has given me a ton of time to write, and there are some new stories I'll be posting as well! Thank you darling!

Guest: Well welcome! So glad you discovered this little fic of mine. Hope you've enjoyed it so far :) Thanks so much for coming along.

Babydragon213: Aww you're so incredibly kind. Thank you, thank you! I truly hope you enjoyed this chapter!

* * *

**Please take care of yourselves, everyone!**


	7. (6) An Acceptable Attempt

**Author's Note: **A little late, but I hope you enjoy anyways. Hope everyone is staying safe :)

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 6: An Acceptable Attempt_

* * *

Miroku and Sango were staring at him like he was crazy. Not an uncommon look but one that grated on his nerves every single time. Really, it wasn't that fucking difficult to understand the chain of evidence. He had laid it out for them even in the simplest of terms.

"You can't be this dumb," Inuyasha growled out, the palms of his clawed hands flat on the countertop. He had to consciously make an effort to breathe, rather than to try and dig his nails into the granite and ruin his damn kitchen. Again.

"Hey, hold the hell up," Sango snapped, always the one to be irritated by his insults. She was the quickest to respond to them anyways. It always took Miroku a second or two and he was too nice to reply in kind. "Give us a freaking second. You just told us you connected the murders because of an Instagram account."

"Were you not listening at all?" The silver-haired detective scowled. "The Instagram account is hardly relevant, just like the fact that they're half-breeds. There's a larger conspiracy – a _big one _– and you need to get jurisdiction over that dumb moron's case."

Miroku sighed. "She's hardly dumb."

"She argued with Inuyasha multiple times," Sango cut in, "so she's clearly not that bright."

Inuyasha groaned and shut his eyes. Not this again. Getting them started down this path would only lead them to fight about everything else, and then _nothing _would get done. Without looking, he pointed at Miroku just as the man huffed out a "Why are you so hostile with her? It was the same shit at the scene and you—" and then pointed at Sango just in time for her to interrupt and snap, "Oh, you noticed? Brilliant, Detective. Outstanding."

What he didn't count on, in that second, was Kagome piping up. "So we have two dead half-breeds and something that connects them together. What is it?"

"That's what I don't know." The admittance was like a stab in his gut, raw and festering. Nothing in Jinenji's office, or on his laptop, had so far given them any insight as to what he and Sara Asano were discussing. It made his mind crawl with all of the possibilities, wiring him so tight that he craved punching something – anything – to make it go away. Instead, all he could do was stare at the woman beside him. Closer than before, surely. Inuyasha blinked and judged the distance between them: two feet? Had it not been over three earlier?

Why didn't he know this either?

"We'll have to talk to Sarge in the morning, once our shift starts and there's enough coffee in him to listen to us. I doubt he's going to be pleased by this," Miroku said, any hostility in his voice from before gone. Focused on the case, finally.

Inuyasha was only vaguely grateful. He was still staring at the floor, measuring the distance between him and the doctor.

"It'll take a day, at least, before it's officially passed off. We'll probably have to work together." The bitterness had not left Sango's voice. That, however, was because of the thought she'd be seeing Koharu again so soon. Sango was many things, but subtle wasn't one of them.

"We can regroup tomorrow," Miroku finished. His blue eyes were focused a little too intently on his partner's, but Inuyasha wasn't getting involved. His mind had better things to do, like figure out what the hell was connecting a half-breed Instagram influencer with a journalist.

Death threats from a prominent individual? No, stupid. She'd just screenshot and post that crap online like everyone else did.

Was there some sort of story they were working on together? Inuyasha frowned at the thought. Highly unlikely, but possible. Social media influencers had access to options that the general populace shouldn't have, and _The Guardian _had remained ahead of the curve when the digital revolution took over. So, a possibility. Couldn't rule it out, not yet. Maybe she came to _The Guardian _with a story?

No. If so, there would be a record of Sara Asano contacting _The Guardian _directly. There wasn't, at least that's what the editor stated. Koharu was going to follow-up in the next twenty-four hours.

They didn't even have her phone. Couldn't get records, not yet. They had to verify she was actually _missing, _which was the worst part about all of this.

The family hadn't even been notified. How the fuck was he supposed to continue investigating if everything was covered in goddamn red tape?

There was a touch to his shoulder, and Inuyasha whipped his head around to glare at Kagome. She was even closer now, a look of confusion on her face that suggested she'd been saying his name or asking him a question for a few seconds. Damn it. "What?" he asked. When the tone came out biting, he refused to grimace, despite the warning that circled around in his head. This was who he _was_, and while he understood treating her with respect, he couldn't stop being…him.

And this was _him_.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, unflinching.

"Nothing that I can prove without more fucking evidence," Inuyasha replied, turning his gaze to the detectives across the kitchen's island. "Want to get that for me?"

Sango snorted, that grim smile on her face as Miroku sighed long-sufferingly. "We'll leave a message but like we said, nothing is going to happen until tomorrow. _Maybe_."

Useless. The police were useless and in over their heads, like always. Inuyasha tried not to yell at them because past interaction suggested that would do nothing but slow them down. Pettiness, which just made them even more useless.

Inuyasha held back a sigh and headed towards his front door. "If that's all you can do, then it's about time you get out. I need to think."

Sango rolled her eyes but stood up all the same. For a moment she hesitated, but it was clear why. Throughout the evening, she'd been eyeing Kagome like the woman was about to explode or burst into tears. The doctor had done neither, thankfully, but Inuyasha knew the detective far too well. She was nothing if not by-the-book, and Kagome's presence continually ruined that. Still, she'd proven herself at the crime scene, finding something even their lead pathologist had missed. Temporarily or not.

"Out with it, or get out," Inuyasha urged, opening the front door pointedly.

"Just be careful," Sango said, exasperated. "I haven't heard anything from Katsuki but from what I've heard so far, there's nothing to suggest the gas explosion at your apartment was anything other than an accident. And if Inuyasha's right… Just, be careful."

"Thanks Detective," Kagome answered, a small smile curving her lips.

"Sango," she pressed, shaking her head. "We're already breaking all the rules anyways."

Inuyasha glared at the ceiling. This was painful and all he wanted to do was goddamn _think_. In the quiet. For just a few fucking minutes. Was that so hard?

Apparently. Now Miroku was introducing himself and Inuyasha rolled his head to loosen the muscles tensing in his neck. If they didn't fucking leave in the next _two minutes_—

"We'll call you tomorrow," Miroku promised, arm moving to pat him on the shoulder. Inuyasha snarled and stepped back. The detective was hurt by it but didn't say anything more. He simply left with Sango in tow, disappearing down the stairs.

The slam of his door was much faster at making them vanish though.

Fucking finally. Alone at last. Inuyasha headed straight to the punching bag in the corner of his living room and landed a blow. It was light, barely a punch, but the thrust of energy was enough to get him to breathe.

_Think_.

Koharu wasn't going to give him the damn list of Jinenji's stories until tomorrow morning. It was like the universe was forcing him to stop, hard, and look no further now that the fucking sun had set. Stupid. Crime never slept, so why should he?

Stupid, stupid, _stupid_.

He set up the same punishing rhythm that he always did, mind elsewhere as his knuckles bruised and swelled. There was nothing but the feel of pain in his hands and arms, and the relentless whirling of his brain as it tried to piece together what he knew.

Sara Asano, killed in a crime of passion by an idiot. Dumped due to fear and then lost when the dump site proved to be a problem. But while unquestionably stupid, the killer was connected. Why dump the body in such a disorganized way? Why not use those connections immediately?

They didn't have the option, then, which narrowed down to a lack of time or a bad location.

A thirty-kilometre radius meant that location couldn't be narrowed down. The time was lost, just like the damn body.

Fuck, it was hot. Inuyasha lifted his t-shirt to wipe at the sweat on his brow before taking the whole thing off and tossing it to the floor.

The punching bag chimed with each hit, the noise nothing compared to the connections firing like explosions in his brain.

Her body had been found randomly, by sheer fucking luck, and then within twenty-four hours there was a burglary at the very lab she was sent to. The kind of—

"Inuyasha?"

The sound of his name was jarring enough that Inuyasha spun around, eyes finding Kagome's very confused ones before he was hit unceremoniously by his own punching bag. "You're still here?" he asked, and Inuyasha was horrified to realize that it was by far the dumbest question he had asked since he was a small child.

"Was…I supposed to have left with Miroku and Sango?" Kagome had asked, sounding more and more unsure. She was fidgeting slightly, weight shifting from foot to foot. She was blushing. Blushing? Why? He obviously was taking too long to answer her because Kagome cringed and backed off, waving a little for no apparent reason. "Sorry, I guess I was. I need to eat anyways; I'm starving and we literally haven't stopped for food this whole day."

"I rarely eat on a case," Inuyasha insisted, completely unsure of what else to say to make her feel better. Was that even an acceptable attempt? Why did he care to attempt at all?

Kagome frowned at him. "That's not good for you, not with how much running around you do."

"I didn't _run _anywhere."

"Semantics."

Inuyasha scowled. "You're not my doctor."

"I'd bet good money you wouldn't listen to one, even if you had a doctor."

True. Inuyasha scowled harder.

"Right, well." Kagome was staring very intently at his face. "I'll see you next time you call then."

The next time he was going to call was undoubtedly going to be first thing in the morning. Sango and Miroku's shift started early and even if the case wasn't officially handed over, he'd be chasing down Koharu for that damn fucking list. Maybe get copies of everything she had so far to build his connection network. Inuyasha opened his mouth to say this but it was only then that he deigned to check the clock hanging on the far wall, the time mocking him.

Too late to do anything.

Also—

"How are you getting home?" Inuyasha asked sharply. "Transit will take you over an hour. A taxi a half-hour."

"Well, like I said I'm starving so probably a taxi. I'll have them stop so I can grab something nearby."

"That's a waste of time, just have it delivered here." Inuyasha pushed at the stray hairs that had fallen out of his bun. "As you so graciously pointed out, I haven't eaten either."

Kagome blinked at him. Clearly if it wasn't a crisis, she could be a bit slow on the uptake. Or possibly, it was the lack of food. Did she have a headache? No pinching at the eyes, hands tucked away in the back pocket of her jeans so that wasn't helpful— "It's past ten. If we get food, I'll be here until eleven."

"Later than that, since we'll be going over the case." Inuyasha bent down to grab his discarded t-shirt. He needed a shower. "My spare bedroom is clean; you can sleep there since we'll be up by six."

"I'm staying here now?"

Inuyasha frowned at her. "Obviously." He didn't make it a question, though for some bizarre reason he nearly did. "Order what you like. I'll be in the shower." With that settled, he leapt for the second floor, neatly swinging over the railing and heading into his bedroom suite.

"Wait!"

God, what now? Inuyasha poked his head out, glaring. "I'm fine with anything you want to eat."

"No, not that." Kagome looked up from her phone. "What's your apartment number? I know we're on—"

Oh. "221 B," he interrupted, disappearing into his room again.

It didn't occur to him until he was soaking wet that he'd been shirtless around her, which meant that she'd been able to see. See _them_. All of them.

The scars.

No wonder Kagome refused to look anywhere but at his face. At least the doctor had been smart enough not to ask. That wouldn't have ended well for either of them.

* * *

Kagome was flushed and irritated when she made her way down the stairs the next morning. Inuyasha was sitting on top of the kitchen island, listening to the way his nails clicked as he stared at the blank beige walls. He really needed to get those copies from Koharu. The copies Sango provided on the burglary weren't enough. He needed to see everything in its entirety. How else could he make the connections?

"Morning," she said, tone neutral despite her expression.

Inuyasha latched onto it, finding it fascinating for all of forty-seconds before he figured it out. "You avoided the phone call last night with the lazy excuse of sleep but your mother called again this morning. She wants to know if we're dating or just having sex like kids these days tend to do."

For a long time, Kagome just blinked at him. She was not a morning person, as evidenced by the two mornings he'd been with her in which her answers were slow. Inuyasha lost interest and went back to staring at the beige wall.

"You— Were you _listening_?" Kagome asked, horrified. The blush on her cheeks was far more pronounced.

Inuyasha snorted. "Why the fuck would I want to do that? There's been two murders, unless that morning brain of yours has managed to forget them so soon."

"Oh god. It's too early for this." Kagome stopped a few feet away from the countertop and frowned at him. "Why are you sitting there?"

"The couch was too soft."

"Right." Kagome nodded before looking around his kitchen, searching for something. "Tell me you have a coffee machine. Or a kettle. Anything."

"I don't drink coffee, so no," Inuyasha stated, waving a dismissive hand. "But I know you like tea so it's on its way up. Give it eight more seconds."

"Eight more—" Kagome cut herself off and shook her head, sounding defeated when she gasped out, "_What?_"

Inuyasha didn't deign to answer.

And then the front door opened. "Hello! Good morning, Inuyasha."

The consulting detective just grunted, but he kept an eye on Kagome anyways, watching as the black-haired woman went from confused, to concerned, to interested. Ah, she had spotted the very large cup of tea and the bag of croissants then.

"Oh! Inuyasha, you didn't tell me you had a guest." Myoga Ogata grinned devilishly then, raising his eyebrows as if the two of them were sharing some kind of manly secret. The old man was growing senile. "A guest of the female persuasion, I might add."

"I'm aware," he drawled out. "And no, we didn't have sex."

Kagome groaned. "Oh my god. Is this happening?"

"Ignore Myoga," Inuyasha declared, returning his gaze to the beige wall. It wouldn't be blank by the end of the day, that was a certainty. "But get the tea and croissants from him. You can eat those before we go."

At least the old man seemed to remember his narrowing manners then. Offering the drink, he put down the treats and extended a hand. "I'm Myoga. I own the coffee shop downstairs."

"Oh, it's nice to meet you," Kagome responded, only hesitating slightly on the word 'nice.' "Thanks for the tea, you didn't have to."

Myoga scoffed and waved a hand. "I bring something every morning. Who else would feed this man-child?"

"Watch it, Myoga," Inuyasha growled.

"All bark and no bite." The man smiled. "Well, I do have a shop opening in the next ten minutes so I'll be on my way. It was lovely to meet you…?"

"Kagome," she answered and Inuyasha could tell, just by the sound of her voice, that she'd had a sip of tea and was horrifically grateful for it.

Myoga toddled out, waving and giving his hopes to see her again soon. Inuyasha continued to stare at the wall.

There was the crinkle of a bag and then several seconds later, Kagome moaned. "What the hell is in these croissants." Inuyasha swivelled on the counter to watch her eat another bite, dark brown eyes wide with pleasure. "These are delicious."

"You don't want to know," was all he said. She was a doctor, after all.

"Fine, don't tell me." Kagome pulled her croissant out and then tossed the paper bag into his lap. "There's yours, eat it."

"I'm not hungry." Inuyasha simply eyed the pastry bag.

"Eat it."

"No."

"Eat the croissant, Inuyasha."

The consulting detective narrowed his eyes. "No. I ate last night, what else do you want from me?"

Rolling her eyes at him, she took another bite and with her mouth full, continued, "To eat the damn thing, my god. If you don't, I will."

He tossed the bag back at her and returned to staring at the wall. "Don't take too long to eat. Koharu's in at seven and I want to get that list as soon as possible."

"Sure, sure. You warned me last night." Kagome hummed after she took a sip of tea. It was still that bit too hot, if the way she exhaled was any indicator. "How much do I owe you for this?"

"Nothing."

Another eye roll. "Seriously."

Inuyasha sighed. She was not going to let it go. "I don't pay Myoga for the tea or pastries, so you don't need to worry about paying me."

"Then I'll find him later and pay him."

"That's against our contract, so no, you won't." Inuyasha raised a finger to try and stop her incessant talking, but when she pushed on anyways, he glared. "Stop talking."

"I can't just have this for—"

"It's a part of our agreement."

"What agreement?"

Inuyasha held back a growl. "The rental agreement. I _own_ this building. He operates his business on the first floor only at the cost of a tea every morning, unless I'm on a case." Inuyasha grunted, discarding the math. Useless. He'd done this to piss off a certain someone anyways. "Myoga was more than happy to give up two croissants. He tends to bring me food even without me wanting it, no matter what I tell him." It was a pain in the ass, but Inuyasha had given up telling the old man to stop. Myoga would have his way.

Slowly, like she was having trouble understanding, Kagome pressed, "You don't charge rent?"

"What use would I have for rent money?" Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Hurry up and drink your tea. We need to leave in twenty minutes."

"Right, what use would anyone have for rent money?" He could tell there was sarcasm there, but the tone was laced with more shock than maliciousness. Inuyasha watched as her eyes did one more run of the apartment, like she was cataloguing everything inside. Like she was trying to understand.

"Drink your tea," he ordered and then pointedly spun back around to stare at the wall.

"Right."

"Twenty minutes," Inuyasha warned and then – _fucking finally –_ went back into his thoughts.

* * *

The six-four precinct was filled with a bunch of absolute morons. Inuyasha had to admit that Koharu was maybe a tiny bright spot in what was otherwise a dull and pathetically stupid place, but she wasn't exactly a shining star either.

"You look like shit," he told her, sitting at the lone chair beside her desk like he owned it. He glanced dismissively across the room, noting the officers that were shady, bored, or otherwise incompetent. Wow, no wonder Hakurei was under the assault of crime.

"You're an asshole," Koharu told him, though the words held very little heat. It made Inuyasha actually pay attention to her. The dark circles, the crease mark on her cheek, the fresh cup of shit coffee and the rumpled clothes.

"You never went home," Inuyasha stated. "You had a thirty minute nap in your car and then came back inside."

Koharu sighed, exasperated. "What do you want from me? With the case sitting in the balance between us and the five-six, I still have to work it."

"Hmm, but that's not why." Inuyasha clacked his nails against each other and then waved a hand. "Tell them it's okay."

The detective looked at him in confusion, the freckles on her face scrunching as she grimaced. "What?"

"You heard me." It was with that declaration that their attention was drawn away, two officers walking up with Kagome in tow. She didn't look all that happy, but it was her own fault. She should have followed him when he told her to, not balked because the law was telling her so. The door had been open and instead of listening to the nice reception officer like Kagome had, Inuyasha had found his opening and ducked inside.

Now Koharu was glaring at him. Tiring, all of these emotions directed wrongly at him. They should just get on with what needed to be dealt with so they could get back to the damn _murders_.

Wait, on her sleeve.

Inuyasha let the others talk amongst themselves, solving whatever inane shit they couldn't figure out without his help. That, right on the corner of her sleeve, was pollen residue.

For fuck's sake.

Taking out his cell phone, he quickly fired off a message, ignoring the woman who was poking his shoulder near-aggressively. By the time he was done, there was nothing 'near' about it. "I was doing something," he hissed.

"And you abandoned me!" Kagome shot back, incredulous. "Warn a girl next time?"

"I can't help it if you didn't jump at the opening. We only had a matter of seconds."

Groaning, Kagome spun around to lean on Koharu's desk. "Of course, it's my fault."

That made him frown. "Your fault? Don't be an idiot. There's no fault. You just need to spend more time breaking the law with me." He smirked at Koharu, who was still very much glaring at him. Maybe it was worse now. It was hard to tell; he barely knew her. Ideally, he'd like to keep it that way. "I need the list."

"Yeah, no," Koharu replied, shaking her head. "Explain what the hell you meant earlier."

At first, he debated pretending that he didn't know what she meant. Inuyasha was a deductive genius, but more often than not Miroku lamented his social skills. What the detective didn't realize was that Inuyasha understood perfectly well what people wanted – he just didn't care or didn't want to give it to them. Right now, playing dumb would further infuriate Koharu, which would be beneficial in some circumstances. In this particular one, not so much. The woman was already clearly on edge. Restraining an eye roll, he gave her what she wanted. "You're working so hard on the case because you're obviously trying to prove yourself. Just transferred to the six-four, meaning a host of new people to impress. It also means that you left your old precinct and there's only two reasons that could have happened: you asked for a transfer or were forced to transfer. You have no family and limited friends – you're a workaholic, don't argue with me – so that factor's out. Yet, you're overworking yourself here. To prove a point? Maybe. But you're not spiteful; you can't hold a grudge to save your life. No, _no_, you're overworking yourself because even though you requested the transfer, you felt it was your only option. I'd assume because you were getting cases thanks to your looks rather than your brains."

Koharu blinked at him.

Kagome poked him again. "I think you need to warn people before you do that," she said, not unkindly.

"She _asked_." Inuyasha was not pouting at her.

"H-How did you know that?" the detective demanded, face a shade paler than before. "I mean, the reason I left? I never told _anyone_—"

"State of your outfit," Inuyasha replied automatically. "Shirt rumpled, pants stained and your collar has gone to shit. But your desk is so neat, you point your fucking pens in the northern direction." When he saw the woman open her mouth, he pointed a finger at her. "Don't be dumb and lie. You have a spare change of clothes in your drawer like all officers do, but you haven't changed because when your sergeant calls you in, you want to show your work ethic without the glamour."

"That's amazing," Kagome breathed, and the awe in it was enough to distract Inuyasha into looking at her. She was smiling at him, pleased, like he'd done something especially good when all he'd done is look at the facts and collate. Simple.

And yet.

"That's creepy." Koharu snorted though and shook her head. "Miroku said you were good but this is..."

Inuyasha grunted and held out his hand. She knew what he wanted. With only a second more of hesitation, the woman handed him a manila folder, thick with photocopies. Maybe that's another thing she and Miroku talked about.

"I've dug into as much as I could about the Asano woman, but it wasn't all that much." Koharu looked defeated saying it, though that could have been because of her overall rumpled look. "Sara Asano. Twenty-three, fresh out of post-graduate. She graduated last year and has been since trying to get into politics. Apparently. Her father is the only family she had, and he admitted that he hadn't seen her in over two years. He lives seven hours away, but they spoke on the phone occasionally."

"Last time they spoke?" Kagome asked.

"Three months ago. No boyfriends or girlfriends that he knows of, but he's pretty sure he knows where she was working. Everything's in the paperwork." Koharu nodded at the file tiredly. "Depending on what happens, my focus is likely going to stay within the jurisdiction so I'll be set on the Jinenji Egawa case. If I can, I'll try and visit her work."

"If she's connected to him, doesn't it make sense to work on it as well?" Kagome asked, confused.

"Only we have this connection," Inuyasha replied, golden gaze taking in the data before him. "She's blocked by procedure. She needs to see all the possible options. That means any enemies that his mother brought up – the neighbours, for instance. Then the old co-worker that hated him. The list of cases he was working on – which, at a first glance, give at least a handful of possible suspects in very dangerous circles." Flipping the folder shut, Inuyasha stood up. "Like I've said, it's a miracle the police are able to catch any criminals at all."

The female detective just sighed but was clearly too tired to fight him. "Just let me know if you find anything, okay?"

"Eh." Inuyasha saluted, file folder in hand, and then took off.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called, annoyed.

The silver-haired man groaned. "You _had _to have known I was about to leave. I stood up!"

"No, not that." She handed him a blue post-it note, but her expression was less than impressed. "Koharu wanted to give you this but you flaunted away."

Inuyasha gaped at her. "Flaunted?" he demanded, but was completely distracted when he finally took in the hastily scribbled words. _Human father_.

"Why is that important?" Kagome asked, but the question was peppered with the sound of vibrating.

Inuyasha grunted and pulled it out, but it wasn't the person he expected it to be. The opposite, actually.

[Incoming Message from Sango Houko – 06/14/2019, 8:38 AM]

_SS diener who 'signed off' is on vacation. Left yesterday._

_Can't push for warrant until I talk with him._

Sly, goddamn bitches. Sakura Scientific was filled with rats. Inuyasha narrowed his gaze and re-read the message. There was no way. _No way_.

"What?" Her question was gentle but Inuyasha locked his phone dark and shoved it back in his jeans.

"Nothing. We need to check out Sara's workplace. They should be open by the time we get there."

"And the post-it note?"

Inuyasha grunted. "An obvious fact; it was in the report. Maybe it has some significance to her but right now, it means nothing until we learn more about our stolen body."

"Victim."

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha shoved his way outside the door. "Yes, that. I didn't forget."

He didn't need to look at the doctor's face to know she had her eyebrows raised at him.

* * *

"And you're with the police?"

The supervisor on duty was resigned, exhausted, and on hour six of her second part-time job. Inuyasha struggled to determine what exactly that job was. The collar of her shirt—

"Yes," Kagome answered after only a moment's hesitation. "Did you know Sara Asano?"

"Yeah," the girl said, slowly. Clearly trying to puzzle out exactly what they were doing there, but Inuyasha wasn't going to help her along. Kagome was doing fine anyways. The stain on her collar, on the other hand, was not fine. It was… Marker? "Why, is she in some kind of trouble?"

Kagome winced. "I'm so sorry to tell you this, but Ms. Asano's body was found. We believe she's the victim of a homicide."

"Homi— Sara was _murdered_?" The supervisor actually took a step back, leaning against the wall for support. She shook her head and leaned downwards, as if to catch her breath. "Murdered?"

"That's what current evidence suggests, but we're still investigating."

The marker stain was a squiggle line down her shoulder towards her back. Heavy in some areas and then light. Like the holder of the marker couldn't quite use it properly. An accident?

No.

A child.

"We were hoping," Kagome continued, "that you'd be able to help us establish a bit of a timeline. Ms. Asano worked here, correct?"

Not her own child though, no. The supervisor was far too young, with extremely long fake nails and lash extensions. Didn't make it impossible, no, but chances were greatly reduced. Expenditures on beauty tended to be the first to go when caring for a baby. Too much time away, unnecessary costs. An older kid, perhaps, but she was clearly carrying the child when it scribbled on her.

"Yeah, she did," the supervisor replied, nodding. "Worked practically every day, morning shift. She stopped coming in just over a week ago. Is that… Is that why?"

"That's what we're looking into," Kagome said gently. "Did anyone contact the authorities?"

The supervisor shook her head, though she looked sheepish. "No. Stuff like this happens all the time. We figured she just got a new job and didn't bother to say anything. It didn't… That didn't seem like her, but no one could get a hold of her. We lose staff all the time. My manager just assumed job abandonment."

"Did anyone try to contact a family member?"

A _nanny_. She was a goddamn, fucking nanny. Worked in the early mornings before taking the child to daycare, where she could work a second job. Wow, he was stupid. "Of course they didn't," Inuyasha replied for the girl, irritated with himself. "This is retail. Managers barely have time to go to the bathroom, never mind call an emergency contact."

Kagome frowned at him. "At least let her answer."

"She doesn't know!" At the doctor's look, he sighed heavily and glared at the supervisor. "Well? Do you know?"

"I'd…have to ask the manager."

His look said everything he needed to say, but Kagome ignored him, determinedly fixed on the other girl. "Is there anything you can tell us about Ms. Asano? Any boyfriends or girlfriends? Anything she was scared of?"

"I didn't always get the same shift as her," the supervisor admitted, "but not that I know of. Sara was nice. She worked really hard on her social platforms and if she wasn't taking photos, or going to protests, or at the doctor's, then she was working."

That flagged, like an alarm blaring inside of his head. "The doctor's. Why mention that?"

The supervisor shrugged. "She had to go a lot. She got a sick pretty often. I think she had some sort of auto-immune thing? Sara never really talked about it, but sometimes I have to set up the shift schedule and she always needed the last Thursday of the month off. Some medical appointment."

"This wasn't entirely useless after all." Inuyasha tapped his claws against each other, mind whirling. _Human father_. A general, pointless statement all on its own and yet Koharu must have been a better detective than he gave her credit for. There was an instinct there, at least.

Half-breeds just had to have one parent as a demon and the other as a human.

_Or_—

Standing outside of the store, he stared distantly into traffic. The streets were lined with cars, which was strange considering rush hour should have ended. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he planned a different route on his motorcycle, desperate to get out of this…this… This _standstill_.

"Considering you just left without thanking her, or saying goodbye, I assume you figured something out." Kagome came to stand beside him, close but not touching. The distance distracted him for a second before his mind caught on to what she said, skipping like a scratched record before finding its rhythm once more.

"No, but there's a lead." He shook his head. "These two cases are connected but I need to find out _how_."

"And Sara being sick all the time might get you that—"

But he had to cut her off, he had to. Inuyasha needed something other than a brutally dull line of questioning. _Obviously _he thought there might be a connection or why else would he have mentioned it? "You lied well in there. Good job."

The interruption had her blinking, those big dark eyes staring at him in confusion. "What? Oh, well, you weren't saying anything."

"She'd been nannying before," he replied, ignoring the additional perplexity that swept across her face. "Irrelevant. Anyways, we need to go."

"I can't."

Inuyasha scowled. "What?"

"I can't come with you," Kagome stated, fiddling with the contents of her small purse. "I need to get to my insurance office because they're fighting against my claim and I need to file for employment insurance since I've no job and therefore, no money—"

"You have a job." Inuyasha wondered if she'd actually forgotten. "We're partners."

At that, the black-haired woman actually smiled a little, even stopped what she was doing. "Yes, but being partners doesn't pay my bills and I'll need extra money so I can cover the deposit to rent a new place." None of it was said unkindly and that small smile never left. She went back to rummaging in her purse. "I'll just call an Uber. I can meet you later, if you want, to go over the case?"

This was… This was mixed messages, surely. Yes, they were partners but no, she couldn't come. Yes, she would help go over the case but no, there was no money in doing so. Why didn't they just—

"Hello? Inuyasha?" Kagome's smile turned awkward. "Please tell me you've been listening and haven't actually just been thinking about the case."

"I was listening," Inuyasha shot back, rolling his eyes. "Fine. Go. Just come to my place when you're done."

"I'm not sure how long it'll take," Kagome pointed out.

"When you're done," he repeated, glaring at her now. He hated repeating himself.

She laughed and her dark eyes danced. "Don't get all pissy with me. I was just trying to warn you."

"Why?"

"I could be done in an hour, or maybe five hours. It could be early or late or you might want to do something else."

Inuyasha gave her his most unimpressed look. "Now you're talking stupidly. Go do your shit, and stop coddling. It's annoying."

"I'm being considerate!"

Considerate. Inuyasha contemplated the word and tried to align it with every instance the doctor had been in his presence. She did tend towards being _considerate, _especially when compared to everyone else. Especially when everyone else was around.

Overcompensating? Likely. Normally that tended to bother him, but with Kagome it was different. It wasn't patronizing or matronly or pitying. It simply was. What one human being would give to another. For a moment, he reflected on the use of her so-called consideration while at a scene, and how much simpler his work seemed to go. An intermediary, of sorts. And someone to ask relevant, _useful _questions in a sea of stupidity thanks to Hakurei PD's finest.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, realizing that if he went to the police station now he'd be without said intermediary. So no, then, Kagome would have to stay. The insurance and shit could happen later, after the murders were solved. She was at her mom's, right? Why need a place to rent? And if they were together, he'd just buy the food. Obvious.

Too obvious. Kagome must know that this was an option, and yet she was specifically going against it. She was intelligent; Inuyasha was sure the doctor had already worked out all of her options, and what he'd came up with had been one of them. Which meant that it wasn't a solution she wanted.

Huh. Inuyasha went to ask her but glared when he realized the woman was gone, already part-way down the street.

Well. He'd have to think on this.

Next time he'd have to be sure that she didn't leave.

* * *

**Next Time on **_**Deductions**_**:**

"Don't be stupid." The man's voice was monotone, but there was a chill to it that slithered down her spine, words that were so familiar and yet not. "This isn't a kidnapping."

Glancing up, Kagome shut her eyes tight before opening them again. It seemed nearly impossible. Then again, in the past few days, her life had drastically changed, hadn't it?

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead already." The man didn't even smile, and somehow that made the whole thing that much worse. His face was completely impassive, and those familiar golden eyes were steel, ice cold.

"Mr. Taisho," Kagome said slowly, piecing it together. The silver hair and eyes were a dead giveaway. "You're Inuyasha's brother."

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

Guest: And I will take that comment and adore it, because you are far too kind. Thank you, dear!

Mal: That's a very interesting point! Maybe not. Kagome is a sort of mix of her own character with a bit of Watson thrown in, and Watson is many things but he's very lenient to Sherlock's general attitude. Oh, the things that could have been… You learned a _little _more about him in this chapter, or at least you learned about a bunch of questions you have about him. All to be answered soon :) He's definitely House and Holmes rolled into a sexy half-demon. A fantasy I never knew I needed. Thanks my dear :)

YangireSenpai: Messaging here since you don't accept PMs and I couldn't message back! Hope you don't mind! SO happy to hear you were excited. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint! You stay safe too and thank you so much for reading this little fic of mine.

NoYou'reNotReal: Hehehehehe there are definitely nods to the show although a lot are hard to find unless you've _just watched it_. But yesss. So much will be coming together. I hope correctly, otherwise I'm doomed and my planning was for naught XD Thanks my love.

Irish Indy: Awwww thank you so much love! This is honestly a fic in my heart now so that truly means a lot. I'm excited for it all to come together. I'm just praying it _does _come together. So many pieces! Even re-reading this I was like _crapcrapcrapcrap _because I forgot about 2 extra little things I tossed in that I still need to answer for. WHEW. Mysteries are hard. But you guys like them, and I like them, so worth it :)

* * *

**Feedback is love.**


	8. (7) Seventy Things

**Author's Note:** I hope this brings a little bit of joy, even during times like these when it seems impossible to find it.

**Warnings:** Discussions regarding dead bodies.

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 7: Seventy Things_

* * *

Kagome never managed to get her cab.

Completely out of the blue, her Uber cancelled on her when it was only two minutes out. No call, no message, nothing. It wasn't all that unusual, but it made Kagome sigh all the same. She was at the outskirts of the retail shopping plaza, where parking was less congested and cars weren't angrily honking. It made it much easier for the Uber driver to pull up and get you. Kagome tried her best to be considerate.

Unlike her driver.

Holding back a sigh, Kagome tried to order another, hoping that she'd make her meeting in time. It wouldn't have been that terrible if she was late, but they were already causing her problems and she didn't want to add to them.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome noticed a sleek, black SUV pull up. It distracted her enough to make her raise her head and realize it wasn't really a proper SUV at all: elongated, for sure, with incredibly nice rims. Very bureaucratic, she thought distractedly, before returning to her task of calling an Uber.

Damn, maybe she should have just had Inuyasha take her on the motorcycle. Then again, knowing the consulting detective, the detour would have taken away from his crime solving time.

"Doctor Higurashi?"

A little surprised, Kagome whipped her head up once more to see that the black SUV was idling on the curb just a few feet away, the backseat door now open. A young woman with jutting, black hair stood there, typing away at her cell phone. Was she the one who…?

As if beckoned, the young woman looked up and smiled, bright and sunny. Like that, she seemed barely into adulthood. "Doctor Higurashi," she repeated. "We can take you to your appointment. Please get in."

Alarm bells went off in her head. Nothing about the situation seemed safe at all. "No thanks," Kagome said, backing away. _There are people out to get you_, she thought, feeling the panic escalate. _Someone blew up your home_.

The young woman actually looked sad for a moment, lowering her cell phone. "No, wait, please! I'm sorry. That was my fault. Mr. Taisho sent for me to get you."

It took Kagome a moment to place the last name. Right, that was Inuyasha. She tried to find the silver-haired detective further down the retail strip, but he was nowhere in sight. Had he seen her still alone and called for…someone? That still didn't make sense.

"Please, we're just taking you to your appointment," the young woman stated, clearly trying to sound calming. "Insurance companies are difficult on a good day."

For one crazed second, Kagome opened her mouth to ask how the hell she knew anything about insurance companies. Then she felt her shoulders relax, realization dawning upon her that it must have been Inuyasha who did this. No one else knew about the appointment, save for her mother.

"Uh, thanks," Kagome said, heading towards them. "I can give you the address."

The young woman grinned brightly again and gestured for her to get in the backseat. Kagome wasn't paying all that much attention, too focused on her rather than where she was going. She sat down, just in time to hear 'oh, that won't be necessary, Dr. Higurashi' come out of her mouth. And then the door was shut.

That was when Kagome realized she wasn't alone in the backseat.

"Shit," she whispered, immediately tugging on the door handle only to find it locked, firmly in place. Kagome grabbed at her purse to get her phone, thrown in hastily before sliding in. Had she even gotten a look at the license plate?

"Don't be stupid." The man's voice was monotone, but there was a chill to it that slithered down her spine, words that were so familiar and yet not. "This is not a kidnapping."

Glancing up, Kagome almost shut her eyes tight before opening them again. It seemed nearly impossible. Then again, in the past few days, her life had drastically changed, hadn't it?

"If I wanted you dead, you would be dead already." The man didn't even smile, and somehow that made the whole thing so much worse. His face was completely impassive, and those familiar golden eyes were steel, ice cold.

"Mr. Taisho," Kagome said slowly, piecing it together. The silver hair and eyes were a dead giveaway. "You're Inuyasha's brother."

"Half." The word was spat out, and the demon averted his gaze to look out the window, bored. He was sitting in the row of seats across from her, the elongated space making for two bench seats opposite each other. A frosted glass partition separated the back area from the front. Kagome remained firmly in her corner, torn between fear and annoyance. She thought back to earlier, and how stupid she'd been.

"Your assistant is very good," Kagome muttered, clutching her purse tighter to her chest. "She didn't even lie to me."

The demon hummed, noncommittal.

Kagome stared at him and wondered what the hell was going on. "Are we even—"

"You'll make your appointment," the older Taisho stated, interrupting her. "But we have business to discuss first."

"And what business is that?" she asked, rather calmly given the circumstances.

"The business of my half-brother." The demon spared her a glance, still looking utterly bored. "It has come to my attention that you've been spending an awful lot of time with him."

"He's working on my case," Kagome answered slowly. "And I'm helping."

The look the demon gave her was pitiful. "Of course. Late night, last night?"

And _that— _Kagome frowned, sitting up straighter and suddenly feeling very much angry and not at all afraid. "Who the hell do you think you are?" she demanded. "Spying on us like that? And it was for the case, you jerk, nothing happened. And if something _had _happened, it wouldn't be any of your business, no matter what you think! It would be between Inuyasha and I only. Not you."

There was a moment of silence, in which the demon appeared to consider her. The icy stare didn't dissipate. "Do you know who I am?"

"Why don't you enlighten me?" Kagome shot back, feeling particularly vindictive.

"What I have to say would be far too much for your pathetic, human brain," the man stated bluntly. "And if I wanted you dead, you would be dead. So let me make myself perfectly clear: stay away from my brother."

"Half."

The demon raised his eyebrows.

"You forgot the 'half,'" Kagome pointed out. "And I think it's time you let me out."

"Whatever Inuyasha has told you about your intelligence is severely overrated."

Kagome bit her lip to stop herself from saying exactly what she wanted to say back. She took a breath and held it. "Let me out."

The demon looked out the window again, as if she wasn't worth his time, wasn't worth the sight. "You're making a severe mistake that cannot be corrected."

"I really doubt it," Kagome snapped back and then hit on the frosted partition twice. "Stop the car!"

"What do you see in him?" the demon pressed suddenly, golden stare back on her.

"We're done here."

"So _loyal_." Disdain dripped from his mouth, and Kagome bet that if he was a more expressive person, his lip would have curled. "Like a pet. What do you get out of his?"

"Let me out," Kagome demanded.

"I can make your life difficult."

"Yeah? Get in line, jerk. Everyone's been thinking the same thing about me recently." Pounding on the frosted partition, she snapped once more, "Now, let – me – _out!"_

Abruptly, the SUV slowed and finally stopped. Kagome had no idea if she was anywhere near her meeting; for all she knew, it was the opposite end of town and this asshole was really going to try to kill her. She tugged over and over at the door handle until it finally gave, the door swishing open to reveal the young, brightly smiling woman from before.

"You're here," she said happily. "With three minutes to spare."

Feeling a well of frustration itching to come out, Kagome made an aggravated noise and poked her head back into the SUV. The silver-haired demon was watching her idly, like one would watch an ant moving across a picnic table. Small. Insignificant.

But Kagome was many things: unemployed, living with her mother and currently being screwed over by her insurance company, _sure_. But she was also smart, and resilient, and far from a pushover. "Never threaten me again, Mr. Taisho."

And with that, she slammed the door shut.

The young woman only looked faintly amused; her dark gaze focused solely on the mobile phone in her hands. She was texting faster than Kagome had ever seen someone do. "Sesshomaru hates when he doesn't get his way," she commented lightly.

"Is that his name?" Kagome asked, irritated. She shoved her own phone in her purse, even though she had half a mind to text Inuyasha some very rude messages herself. "It's just as dick-ish as his personality."

And maybe that was a smile. It definitely wasn't a nod, and when Kagome made it to the doorway of the insurance building, the black SUV was already long gone.

* * *

[Incoming Message from Inuyasha Taisho – 06/14/2019, 10:46 AM]

_Come back._

_My apartment._

* * *

[Outgoing Message to Inuyasha Taisho – 6/14/2019, 11:31AM]

_Your half-brother threatened to kill me._

[Incoming Message]

_Come NOW._

* * *

She didn't go right away. Despite Inuyasha's text messages, Kagome had other things to take care of. The insurance company was giving her a hassle, and apparently some files the police were supposed to send had never showed up. Kagome needed to chase down whatever the officer's name was – Katsuki? – and also still try to figure out how the hell she was going to pay for everything.

She didn't go home. Even though a massive part of her wanted to just sit on the couch and disappear for a while, Kagome knew that her mother's house would only make it worse.

Thirty years old, and back with her mother.

Well, to be fair, given the state of the economy that was pretty standard. Maybe it hurt worse because she had been independent once, before, and now it was grating.

Still, what else was she going to do?

Sighing, Kagome climbed the stairs to 221B and raised a hand to knock. It opened instantly, moments before her fist ever touched the wood. She blinked, taken aback by the flash of silver as it disappeared within moments, slinking back into the apartment like it was never there in the first place.

"Hi?" Kagome called out, stepping inside.

"You're late," Inuyasha replied, simple fact without any heat. "Why are you late?"

"I had things to do."

Narrowing his eyes at her, the detective frowned. "You bought new clothes, which is out of character for you. You're worried."

"It's been three days," Kagome protested weakly, knowing even as she said it how it made no difference. Inuyasha wasn't like regular people. The moment those golden orbs blazed upon her, seeing into her rather than through her, the jig was up. It was a part of why she was here, after all. That and the desire to figure out what had happened, how her life had turned upside down within the span of seconds.

Inuyasha waved a hand at her dismissively, clearly past it. "We have a case to solve."

It became very evident within a matter of seconds just what the consulting detective had been up to while she was gone. What was once a bare wall was now a massive, floor-to-ceiling collage. There were crime scene photos, post-it notes, pictures of documents and red push-pins everywhere. It was like every bizarre conspiracy theory wall ever shown on television. Sitting on the kitchen island, nails clacking incessantly against each other, was Inuyasha.

"You've been productive," Kagome couldn't help but say.

"We're _missing _something," he replied, the sound a near snarl. He shook his head before sliding off the countertop, flopping onto the couch. The couch was in the same room as the crazy wall – technically, significantly closer – and Kagome didn't miss the way the man's eyes never left it. "It's pissing me the fuck off."

Slowly, leaving her jacket and purse by the door, Kagome sauntered over and sat down on the opposite couch. "Did you want to talk me through it?"

"No." Inuyasha grimaced then, finally closing his eyes. "Maybe."

"We could talk about your half-brother then."

That had the desired effect. Inuyasha groaned unhappily and peeked one eye open, glaring at her. "The fuck would you bring him up like that?"

"You didn't want to talk about the case!" Kagome exclaimed. "Why else would you want me here then?"

That was answered with silence and a sharper glare, from two eyes now. "Did he offer you money?"

"What?" The question seemed so far out of left field that Kagome was momentarily taken aback. "Money? Why would we offer me that?"

A resounding snort echoed in the apartment. "You must have pissed him off a whole fuck-ton then, if he didn't offer you any."

"I didn't _do _anything," Kagome complained. "His young, bubbly assistant lied to me without actually lying to me so that I'd get in their car."

Another snort, this time with his eyes closing, like it was all some kind of bedtime story. "Rin's as bad as he is."

"And then he demanded to know why we were hanging out and even insinuated that we were sleeping together, which, how the _hell _would he even know?"

Grunting, Inuyasha pointed at the door. "Outside, the cameras. He has access to them."

"He's watching you _twenty-four seven_?" Kagome replied, nearly choking up in horror.

"Don't act all dumb on me, of course not." He scoffed, and she bet that if his eyes were open, he'd be rolling them severely at her. "My cameras are _mine_, although his annoying, looming ways made me get them in the first place. The threat being that he could always hack them, should I step out of line." Kagome's horror didn't really dissipate, even when he continued. "But I'm referring to the cameras everywhere else. CCTV footage. The footage from across the street. Any of the businesses on the main intersections around here, etcetera."

"He has access to them? How?"

Another vague wave. "If you asked him, he'd tell you he holds a minor position within the government."

Kagome didn't believe that for a second. "I did ask, actually. All he did was threaten me with '_if I wanted you dead, you'd be dead_' and that I was making a mistake."

Inuyasha sat up slowly, frowning. "What the hell did you say to piss him off?"

"How would I know? Maybe he didn't like me yelling at him for sticking his nose in business where it didn't belong."

"No, I say that to him all the time." The detective hummed. "Did you correct him when he forgot to say 'Doctor?'"

Kagome shook her head. "No. I did correct him though when he told me to stay away from his brother, or else." The statement seemed to mean nothing to him, so she continued on. "I reminded him that you were half-brothers."

Now _that _got his attention. Inuyasha lit up like it was Christmas. "He called me his brother? And you _corrected him_?" Jumping up, the consulting detective cackled. "That's a mistake and my asshole of a half-brother never makes those. You _rattled _him somehow." He whirled to face her, tensed, and then whirled away again. "Fuck, I need that footage."

"I really don't think I rattled him," Kagome answered honestly. "I think I just pissed him off."

"You shot him down," Inuyasha said suddenly, pointing at her. "Immediately. At every turn. Didn't you?"

"_Shot him down_? I—What are you talking about?" Kagome rubbed at her face, trying to work through his thoughts. "I didn't—"

"Sesshomaru does this to anyone I interact with more than a handful of times," Inuyasha interrupted. "And generally, he confirms their general dislike of me and then offers to pay them to spy. He was doing the exact same song and dance with you, but _you_ did something he didn't expect. And that could only be that you defended me." He smirked. "I didn't know you cared."

Kagome took that all in. It was terrible. "Why does he have people spy on you?"

"He's not the forgiving type," was all Inuyasha said before flopping back down on the couch and eyeing the collage on the wall. She could literally count down the seconds, watching as time to learn more about the elusive consulting detective disappeared before her eyes. Opening her mouth to say something – anything – she was quickly interrupted by Inuyasha's aggressive pointing.

"What do you see?"

Back to the case then. "See where?"

"There." His aggressive pointing grew worse, until Kagome finally caught the photograph of their real, dead Jane Doe. Or, rather, Sara Asano. It was one of the crime scene photos from when she was found at the landfill, her body swamped in tattered grime and plastic garbage bags.

"I see a dead woman," Kagome stated, neck twinging from the angle. It felt wrong, though, to be lying down like Inuyasha was, casually surveying the collage of death and destruction.

The silver-haired man rolled his eyes. "I was hoping you'd go a little deeper."

"Don't you know this already?" she asked.

"I've packed and unpacked this damn case too many times already," Inuyasha grunted out, irritation laced with every word. "But I've gotten nowhere. There are too many variables. Too many things unknown. Maybe hearing it from your layman view will simplify it."

Kagome looked at him, and for some strange, horrible reason she was fighting down a smile. "I'm pretty sure that was an insult."

Rolling his eyes, the consulting detective waved towards the wall. "Go."

"Well, I guess it started with her," Kagome said slowly, piecing the words together as they came. "She was killed about a week before coming to Sakura Scientific, after being found in a landfill."

"Found on June 11th, meaning she was murdered sometime around the 4th. Murdered in a crime of passion, or at least unexpected. The killer didn't have initial intentions to murder her, and wherever she was murdered was a populated space, or somewhere people would be going to. Our killer, once they'd realized she was dead, disposed of her the quickest way they could, where they didn't think anyone would look too closely."

"But they messed up," Kagome agreed. "Because it was garbage day and the truck had taken her."

Inuyasha frowned. "But doesn't everyone know when garbage day is?" he asked, mostly to himself. "Even if you forget, you always remember at some point. Which means that this murder couldn't have taken place in a home, or a residence. It had to be work-related, or hobby-related. Somewhere a person frequented but didn't necessarily know the garbage schedule of."

"Janitors do though," she pointed out. "Secretaries. Technical managers."

"The pool is still too big. There are a lot of jobs in which knowing the garbage schedule wouldn't be needed." Inuyasha grunted, annoyed. "And the geographic circle we have is basically the whole city. We can't narrow down to a particular district, so we move on. The killer fucks up and loses the body, realizes it. At that moment, either they realize the resources they have at their disposal, or they're contacted."

"But she's just a retail worker," Kagome stated. "Her work didn't even consider her missing. Not even her father."

"She was an activist for half-breed rights," Inuyasha murmured, eyes slowly narrowing like some thought was occurring to him. "But you're right. Too small-time, which means the killer had connections they didn't think of in their moment of panic. So they make the call but there's nothing to be done until the body is found. _If _the body was found."

Kagome hummed. "Like you said, they would have to be powerful people. To have gotten notification so quickly when they found the dead body, to knowing where it was heading. And then breaking into Sakura Scientific with all of the hacking and body stealing."

"Well-connected, but some money in the right hands would be all it took. A good hacker, a runner, and some ears at the landfills across the city." Inuyasha scoffed. "Impressive but hard to pin anything down on. No one would flip, and even if they did they would have no connection whatsoever. A phone number to a burner cell, or a message to some arbitrary email. No one at Sakura is talking and I doubt anyone would say anything at the landfill either."

"Really?" Mention of her old employer made a sort of shame flare through her. Kagome had never been fired from anything in her life. Even knowing that it wasn't her fault didn't make her feel better.

"Those fuckers are in the shit so deep, they can't smell anything else," Inuyasha huffed. "But that's Sango's problem. I only give a shit about what happened to Sara's body."

"Which we know nothing about."

Inuyasha grunted again, a harsh affirmative. "We won't find the body either. The transport van was clean and cameras were useless."

"Then how are we supposed to catch her killer?"

"Very carefully." Clicking his nails together, the consulting detective's eyes roamed across the wall. "I'm fucking this up. I'm coming at this all wrong." Standing up abruptly, he made his way to the kitchen and started to pace. "I'm using Sara Asano as a starting point because her death is a likely cause-and-effect to the death of Jinenji. That's true. Even if it's a little false. What am I _missing_? No, not missing. I'm wrong. I'm backwards."

"Inuyasha—"

"Sara Asano isn't the _first_," he snapped, clapping his hands together loudly. "She was meeting up with Jinenji secretly. Whatever they were tackling was so big, he was leaving out his employers. Why? Because of multiple reasons. Handouts, owners, political corruption— Too many possibilities, move on. They were scheduled to meet on May 27th. Jinenji states she never showed on the 28th, but _of course _she showed. Instagram political activist would never cancel on the media."

"What if she was already dead?" Kagome asked, twisting in her seat to watch him.

"That's a whole extra week," Inuyasha answered. "Based on her post-mortem look, what do you think?"

Kagome winced. "No, definitely not. The body was still green. If she'd been dead two weeks, we would have seen signs of her organs decomposing within her. It would have been visible."

"So she shows up on the 27th with information that is so good, Jinenji can't report it." Inuyasha clicked his nails together, the rhythm angry. "He lies to his work but he continues to work on it in the background."

"Do we have access to his laptop?"

"I had a quick glance but the techs want to finish with their copies," Inuyasha growled. "Maybe tomorrow. Still so sign of any other laptop."

"What about the list of stories from the receptionist?"

The consulting detective snarled. "I just have a list but the files are on the fucking computer. Tomorrow, tomorrow, all they ever tell me is _tomorrow_." His upper lip curled. "There's a story on the mafia, linked to a shooting in one of the nearby cafés. No one claimed ownership but Jinenji was going to focus on Mayor Seki's inability to deal with the corruption over construction contracts. If the city is funding the mafia, who's to say they're not also helping bury first degree murder?"

Kagome frowned, not understanding the tone. "Doesn't that sound promising?"

"_Too _promising." Inuyasha shook his head, running his hands through his long, silver hair. It was down and loose, but Kagome didn't know whether that was better or worse.

Not that it mattered. His hairstyle didn't impact how she…saw him.

Kagome quickly spun away to look at the wall. Where the hell had _that _come from?

"But the other cases are dull. A fluff piece, a recent murder by the Bell Arena and the suicide of a local doctor. They were all follow-ups; updates from police and the like. The initial stories were crap. Useless. Irrelevant." He groaned and spun around again. "I'm still _missing _something."

"What about the note Detective Orikasa left you? Something about a father?"

Inuyasha waved that off, too. "I'm checking sources. Won't know until tomorrow."

She knew she was going to regret it immediately. Kagome eyed the consulting detective, watching the way he paced up and down his kitchen, all around the island. His golden eyes were roaming everywhere, scattering to the wall littered with crime scene photos and back to the floor. "Maybe… Maybe you just have to wait for tomorrow then," she said slowly.

"Tomorrow may be too late." Inuyasha growled suddenly and then reached for something on his counter. It was a hair tie, and the detective was putting his hair up roughly. "I need to figure this out _now_."

"What can you even do—"

Inuyasha leapt onto the second floor and disappeared into his bedroom.

Kagome froze, torn between demanding what the hell was going on and asking if she should leave. She was still a guest and they only knew each other for a grand total of three days. Partners or not, that was only a small period of time. Before she could open her mouth to yell, Inuyasha reappeared and jumped over the railing back down, heading immediately to his treadmill wearing an undershirt and a pair of sweatpants.

She blinked, trying her best to ignore the very obvious scars running down his biceps. "What are you doing?"

"Running," Inuyasha said shortly. He wouldn't look at her. It made the confusion even worse, Kagome still feeling torn. What was he expecting? He told her to come but now he was working out, clearly in some sort of high-strung mood like he'd been at Jinenji's house.

As she listened to his feet pound against the machine, she made up her mind. Might as well go home, then. Her mother probably wanted to talk to her, see how her appointment went with the insurance company. It really wasn't something she wanted to rehash but it would be hard to avoid. Maybe Sota could come over and distract her, if he wasn't working. Standing up, Kagome slowly headed over to Inuyasha, trying to catch his attention which was firmly on the machine's screen before him. "I guess I'll see you later?" It took a long moment of awkward silence for Kagome to realize that he was definitely not listening to her. "Inuyasha? Inuyasha!"

"What?" the detective barked, golden eyes glaring at her. He was almost at a full-on sprint, hair bouncing with every step. He didn't even sound _out of breath_. "What are you…? The hell are you leaving for?"

Kagome shot him an incredulous look. "You're working out!"

"This is hardly working out," Inuyasha replied, scowling. "I need to—To clear this energy. Get it out. It's this or punch the fucking wall."

"Or your punching bag?"

The detective glared at her. "Nope, the wall."

"Should I come back later then?" Kagome suggested lightly, confused and unsure what the hell to do. What was Inuyasha even expecting? It had all been so sudden, this drastic change after they'd gone through the crime scenes. The almost manic energy; the pacing and nail clacking and stutter-stops in his speech.

"The fuck for?" he asked. He huffed, overly dramatic, and then stepped on the side platforms of the treadmill. "Why are you being insecure?"

"I'm not insecure!" Kagome exclaimed. "I'm just confused! You're the one that hopped on a treadmill without saying anything."

"Like I said, it's that or punch a wall."

"Well I know that _now_," she pointed out. "But you're busy. I can grab food or something. I don't want to intrude."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "It's not intruding if you live here. For fuck's sake, relax already. If you want to get a tea or whatever, Myoga's shop is downstairs. Just don't take too long. We have work to do."

How the hell did they have work to do if he was _running on a treadmill_? None of it made any—

"Wait, _live here_?" Kagome asked, brain finally catching up with what he said.

Inuyasha groaned, finger jamming at a button on the machine until the running belt started to slow. "Do we have to talk about this now? Fine, we do. Whatever. It's not convenient and if I punch something it'll be your fault."

"If you punch anything it's _your fault_," Kagome shot back, arms crossed and unimpressed. "You're a grown up."

Inuyasha made a face at her that was extremely contrary. "It's obvious, right? You said before that you were worried about paying bills, and renting, and you didn't have a job even though I offered you one yesterday. So whatever. Live here. I don't charge rent but you have to buy your own food and shit. You can park in the garage. And you'll get paid for your services at crime scenes and shit. Happy?" He smirked quickly and then hit the machine's start button again. "Glad we talked."

"What? No!" Kagome exclaimed. "How is any of that obvious? Or rational?"

Groaning again like her questions were causing him physical pain, the silver-haired man nearly punched the treadmill to make it stop again. "It's more rational than any other plan. Think it through. Don't act stupid."

"We've known each other for _three days_."

"Two murders and a burglary make for a really good three days. I don't see how this is a problem."

Kagome bit back the seventy things that instantly wanted to spew out. _You don't know me_. And _that's crazy; normal people don't do this_. And _how are you so calm? _And _I don't think I can look at you every day and be your partner. _And _this is really, really crazy._

But the thing was that Inuyasha did know her. Terrifyingly well. That instant burning of his gaze in the parking lot outside of Sakura Scientific sealed it for her. The way he challenged her on every little detail. The way he sought out her opinion, trusted her.

It was still crazy. Insanely crazy.

Her mother would lose her mind.

"How rich are you that you can get away with not charging me rent, and _paying me_?" she asked finally, feeling anxious just saying the words out loud.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "My father held a much less minor position in the government, you could say. And he was many things, but frivolous sure as shit wasn't one of them."

"Is that why you don't charge the police?"

The detective rolled his eyes. "No. The police don't pay because they couldn't afford me even if they wanted to. How many more fucking questions are you going to have? I'm trying to work through this shit," he indicated, waving at the general direction of the crime scene collage. "So last chance."

"Will your half-brother make good on his threat?" Kagome crossed her arms. "He already told me to stay away from you, or else."

Inuyasha's smirk was priceless, a sudden beam of happiness out of all the manic energy floating around him. "_Fuck that asshole_."

Well. That settled that.

* * *

She hadn't meant to stay over.

Groaning, Kagome listened to the vibrating of her phone and wished to go back to sleep. It couldn't have been a reasonable hour, there was no way. She was too exhausted. Kagome didn't remember being this tired since she was working straight doubles at the ER.

Her phone continued to vibrate, text message after text message. If it was her mother, she was going to scream.

Blearily picking it up, Kagome blinked at the bright screen of her cell phone.

[Incoming Message from Inuyasha Taisho – 6/15/2019, 8:03 AM]

_Get up._

_Get up._

_Get up._

_I have tea for you._

_Get up._

This was not happening.

Last night had been… Weird. Good, but weird. Inuyasha had run on the treadmill until he stopped muttering obscenities under his breath. Then, they proceeded to take the case apart, bit-by-bit. At the time, it had become information overload to her. As the night neared midnight, and then beyond it, her brain was so tired she passed out on the couch.

Inuyasha had woken her up around 3AM, and Kagome had groaned and sent a text message to her mother before all but diving into the spare bedroom.

Now, she had some regrets.

But first, tea.

Slowly, Kagome staggered out of bed and blindly made her way into the adjoining bathroom. She grimaced as she splashed her face with water, as if it would help the big dark circles under her eyes at all. Thankfully, Inuyasha had left the items she used from the last time she stayed over in the bathroom: her toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as some mini traveller version of deodorant. It was for men, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Her clothes were a lost cause though; rumpled and slept in.

Would Inuyasha even let her go home to change, considering how case-crazed he was?

The thought was startling, if only because she was considering his opinions on the matter _at all_. She had known him for three – _four _– days now. That was…nothing. A drop in the bucket. Insignificant, regardless of the fact that his entrance flipped her whole life upside down.

[Incoming Message from Inuyasha Taisho – 6/15/2019, 8:17 AM]

_I'll get you new clothes later. Hurry up, for fuck's sake._

Kagome blinked, wondered how the hell Inuyasha knew _what she was thinking _and then groaned. She honestly gave up.

Stepping outside of the room, she realized incredibly quickly just why Inuyasha had been bothering her so much. Before she could even look around the open-concept apartment, Kagome heard the voices. Inuyasha's voice, and then _his_.

"You are a child," Sesshomaru asserted, more expressive in those four words than the entirety of Kagome's chilled conversation with the man. "You are unworthy of—"

"Oh, shut up," Inuyasha yelled, glaring at his half-brother. "Why are you even here? Answering via text message is a thing."

"I told you—"

"And you thought I was _listening_?"

"—That there are consequences to your actions, Inuyasha. Father would be displeased."

"What the hell does that even mean?"

Kagome was slowly coming down the stairs, big brown eyes trying to catch Inuyasha's for some sort of sign on what to do. He obviously wanted her down there; the text messages were clear and it was quite apparent that Sesshomaru had been there for a while at least. She made her way into the kitchen, where Inuyasha was still snarling at his half-brother but holding out a paper cup of tea from Myoga's café downstairs.

She bit down on a smile.

"She should not be here." A statement like that called for some kind of fierceness, but Sesshomaru simply sounded bored the whole time. It was the same as when they were in the SUV together, and he was threatening her with icy glances and the suggestion of his power. "You know why."

"I know why _you think _she shouldn't be here." Inuyasha smirked meanly at his half-brother. "But I, on the other hand, am grateful. How else am I going to afford rent?"

Kagome snorted and had to hide her grin in her tea. He owned the entire building. Were the two of them like this every time? Sesshomaru sent her a dismissive glance before going back to ignoring her, as he'd done previously.

"This is a mistake and I will to have to clean up your mess, as per usual."

"_As per usual_," Inuyasha mocked. He scowled and stuck his middle finger in the air, right in front of his half-brother's face. "Now fuck off."

Sesshomaru raised a single eyebrow and said nothing. "Did you want the report or not?"

The detective scowled fiercely, glancing once Kagome's way before sighing explosively. "Fine. Fuck off _please_."

"Insolent." The demon did up the button of his blazer and headed towards the elevator. "As for the woman, I have made my thoughts clear."

But Inuyasha didn't respond and Kagome didn't particularly want to say anything to the man that had threatened her multiple times after kidnapping her. Briefly, but kidnapping all the same. Taking a long sip of the cooling tea, she considered the detective before her. He was completely ignoring his half-brother, who was entering the elevator without another parting shot. They were acting as if the other didn't exist and it was—Well, strange was a word for it.

A cell phone buzzed but it wasn't hers. Inuyasha shook himself slightly before grabbing at his mobile, scanning it and then dropping it unceremoniously onto the counter. "We need to get ready," he said, hopping off. "Sango just sent me a text. We can go to the station to look through Jinenji's files. They're hoping in a few hours we can have access to Sara Asano's apartment."

"Do we have time to stop at my mother's so I can change?"

Inuyasha frowned. "But I can give you clothes."

He meant it. Kagome could only stare at him, the realization creeping in that sharing clothes for him was a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Probably because he really wanted to go to read Jinenji's stories and didn't want to waste a single minute doing anything else. Was it…weird that she didn't really care? "I'll still need to go there at some point."

"Obviously." He waved a dismissive hand. "You need to at least pack a couple bags if you're going to start moving in."

Right. She had agreed to that last night. "My mother is going to be confused."

"And upset."

Kagome glared at him. "Thanks."

"You know it, I know it, I don't see the point in pretending it doesn't exist." Inuyasha spared a moment from staring at the collage to meet her gaze instead. "Even knowing your mother's feelings, you'll still move out." It wasn't an order, or a question. Kagome knew – just like she seemed to know everything else about the consulting detective – that this was yet another statement of fact. No bias or emotion involved, simply fact.

Inuyasha smirked, shrugged and then leapt onto the second floor of the apartment like she had answered him. He probably remembered that he was getting access to Jinenji's work laptop.

Kagome blew out a heavy breath. The rest of her tea would just have to go cold.

* * *

**Next Time on **_**Deductions:**_

"Your personal life is dull; I don't care about it. But this? Involving yourself with another cop just to make Sango jealous? That's professional territory, and if this case gets ruined or either of you get sidetracked because you can't deal with your shit, then it's my problem. So stop. The sex wasn't that good anyways."

That ruined whatever speech Miroku was about to dole out, his mouth opening and then closing again with a click. It took a moment for him to stutter out, "What?"

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

Mal: It's a little complicated lol but I have a lot of spreadsheets and doodle graphs to help me along XD When the story is all finished, I'll post them for you so that you can see. Can't post early or I'll easily spoil everything XD I really hope you enjoyed this chapter!

NoYoureNotReal: We'll have to see if the plot actually ends up working, not going to lie. I'm talking a big game but honestly this could fall apart at any moment with any mistake. SO. HERE'S HOPING. Thank you, love. I hope Sesshomaru-Mycroft met expectations :)

Stella: Hahaha well, you guys will know soon enough. Another couple chapters have to happen before you have _enough _clues to try and guess, but I love any and all thoughts :) Thank you so, so much darling. So glad you're enjoying it!

Kirrtash: Aww you're so incredibly sweet. Thank you! Well, to be honest, this was definitely a challenge of a story to write. I think now I'm pretty settled but I was so nervous the first couple of chapters! Thank you, thank you my dear :)

Jenna: Oh my goodness, thank you. I hope none of the very old ones haha XD I can't re-read my old stuff _but _I am super, super glad you're enjoying it. It truly means a lot to me. Thank you so much!

Irish Indy: I hope the teaser lived up to the expectation! Thank you so much, darling. More to come very soon, I promise. We're just getting going!

Guest: Definitely grumpy and rude, but his intelligence allows for certain leniencies. We'll slowly start to see evolution though :) Just like real Sherlock! There's so much more to come and _so _much more InuKag to happen! Thank you so much!

LQH: Ah yes. The scars. Well that's going to come about sooner rather than later. There's so much to happen. I honestly forget a little about the personal stuff when I'm so focused on the mystery in the story XD But I promise Inuyasha and Kagome have a lot more romance in their future ;) Thank you darling!

Guest: I really hope you liked Sesshomaru. There's more of him to come, I promise. As soon as the next chapter even XD I know. Jinenji was the hardest thing in the world because I love him so, but this mystery has certain needs so… Sadness :( Glad you're enjoying the story though. Thanks dear!

* * *

**Feedback is love.**


	9. (8) They

**Author's Note:** Just a quick little update to let you know I'll be editing the previous chapters so they'll all read "Part One" in them. Nothing major, but initially this story was going to be two separate ones. Now, I'm deciding to combine them into one big one. Nothing else will be changed, other than maybe some typos I find :)

Shout out to the ever fabulous **Wolfcry77**, who has created so much awesome fanart for this story that I will be forever in her debt. Check out all her stuff on tumblr!

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 8: They_

* * *

With the last pages printed, Inuyasha slammed the laptop shut and glowered into the distance. A nearby cop seemed to notice his anger and pointedly left his desk to do something else. While that would normally amuse him, it did nothing to curve the disappointment lurking in his gut. The stories that Jinenji was working on were all well and good, but only one of them had any real chance to be big enough for Jinenji to work on secretly. The fluff piece was crap, and the murder at the Bell arena was an open-and-shut case, even for the police. The suicide was a typical tragedy but otherwise clear, note and all. No, the only thing that seemed to have any kind of edge to it was the café murder and the mafia ties.

But something about it didn't sit well. What would a half-breed activist and social media influencer have to say about it? The victim had been a human, not a half-breed. The notes were factual, with the most controversial lines coming from Mayor Seki's ties to the mafia and their construction contracts. Inuyasha scowled. New information, but it only added to the questions rather than answered anything. It was like he couldn't get anything straight.

Thankfully, movement to his left caught his eye and Inuyasha peered over the stacks of papers and folder organizers to see a familiar detective. He had chosen to sit at this particular desk for a reason and now, it had finally come to fruition. Slowly, Inuyasha got up and edged towards the man, letting him remain in blissful ignorance until it was far too late. He had him cornered.

"Miroku," Inuyasha greeted, armed crossed and glower in full effect. "Good to know you're alive."

The detective was frozen, all harsh tense lines in his body until they simply gave out, slumping in defeat. It shouldn't have made the triumph that much greater, but Inuyasha had been told since he was a child that he wasn't like everyone else. "Inuyasha."

"Oh good," Inuyasha continued, eyes landing on the same old cell phone the detective always carried with him. "You do have a way to be communicated with."

"Don't—"

"Which is funny, because I sent you a very important text message yesterday and you _ignored it_."

Miroku sighed, tilting his head up to stare dejectedly at the ceiling. "I was trying to delay the inevitable."

"A stupid idea, really. You're better than that." Inuyasha grabbed a nearby chair and dragged it over to Miroku's desk. He straddled it, arms folded on the back of the chair while he glared. "Why avoid me?"

The detective made a face at him. It wasn't attractive. "You know why."

"Yeah, but I like to have my theories confirmed," Inuyasha pressed. "I guess I could just ask Sango what she thought—" He cut himself off at the look of pain on Miroku's face, knowing full well what he was doing. He didn't smirk, but it was a close thing. Instead, he changed tracks. "My message wasn't a bad one."

"Yeah but I know you," Miroku argued, shaking his head. "It was hardly an innocent question."

"All I asked was if you slept with her," Inuyasha stated, shrugging. "It's a 'yes' or 'no' answer."

There was another explosive huff, but this time it didn't peter out into abject misery. The detective shook his head again, agitated, and then glared. "I know you believe yourself to be better than everyone around you, but you're shit at the emotional thing. It's not a simple yes or no, Inuyasha. There are more complications than that."

"Because you're in love with Sango but you slept with Koharu anyways." Miroku looked about three seconds away from punching him, but Inuyasha had very little self-preservation instinct, and even less time for stupidity. "You did, didn't you?"

"I don't want to know," Miroku muttered, referring to Inuyasha's deductive reasoning. He turned pointedly away but Inuyasha wasn't bothered. If a police officer or detective hurt his feelings every time they discounted or ignored him, Inuyasha would be nothing more than a tiny sack of misery. At it stood, he wasn't, so he forced his way through.

"It was the pollen on her uniform that caught my eye first," Inuyasha stated, staring at the detective's back. "I'd seen it before, specifically on my clothes a year and two months ago when we worked at your place for the Madono case."

"Pollen?" Miroku exclaimed, whirling around. "Really?"

"Lilies are commonly known for getting pollen residue everywhere. I know you know this. You always complain about it on your jacket, and every year you threaten to get rid of them." Inuyasha shrugged. "When I saw Koharu yesterday, it was simple enough to catch."

"Of course it was." Miroku shook his head. "We didn't—" He stopped himself. "It wasn't like that."

"I don't actually care," Inuyasha replied. "But you and I both know that this will impact the case so whatever it is you're doing, it stops."

Miroku frowned, back stiffening. The anger was starting to build, enough that Inuyasha was sure it would soon overflow. "Excuse me? You don't get to comment on my personal life."

"Your personal life is dull; I don't care about it. But this? Involving yourself with another cop just to make Sango jealous? That's professional territory, and if this case gets ruined or either of you get sidetracked because you can't deal with your shit, then it's my problem. So stop. The sex wasn't that good anyways."

That ruined whatever speech Miroku was about to dole out, his mouth opening and then closing again with a click. It took a moment for him to stutter out, "What?"

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha stood up. Apparently, _he _was the one bad at emotions, but Miroku was worse on a different level. Inuyasha chose to ignore, refute or play on someone's emotions. Any misdeed was very much intended, with few exceptions. Generally, those exceptions reared their ugly head during crimes he simply couldn't solve. Jinenji's place had been one of them.

But Miroku was ignorant. He thought highly of himself and his looks but believed himself incapable of anything beyond a one-night stand. It was foolish and dumb and generally insulting to everyone around him. Sango, especially, got the brunt of it, as in love with him as she was.

"It's easy," Inuyasha explained, "because you're predictable. The next three days after you get laid, you use cologne."

"I don't—"

"You use Tom Ford for the bad lays and Creed for the good ones."

Miroku choked, shook his head and then groaned. Those blue eyes refused to look at him. "There's no way you know that. That cannot be right."

"I've been in your house and your bathroom." Patting the detective on the shoulder – once and rather sharply – Inuyasha backed off the chair. "Now shape the fuck up because Sango's coming."

"I might actually hate you," Miroku groaned, but he pulled it together enough so that when the female detective approached their desk, he was smiling.

Sango frowned at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Miroku shot Inuyasha an accusing glare – which Inuyasha knew he didn't deserve – before sighed. "Nothing. How was the talk with Sarge?"

"Not awful, not amazing." Sango tossed down a couple of folders filled with papers. "He's given us permission to keep pressing Sakura Scientific, but we're on thin ice. The diener that supposedly 'approved' the transfer paperwork for the missing body is back from his vacation tomorrow. I have to give the lab a call today to let them know we'll be meeting with him to continue our investigation. What they won't know is that I'll be paying his house a visit Sunday night, see if I can get a few words in before he gets back to work and under their thumb."

"I doubt Sakura Scientific will like that," Miroku pointed out. "Good idea."

"Thought so." Sango smiled at him before leaning on the desk, shoving Inuyasha a little so she had more room. "Anything from forensics?"

Miroku grimaced. "Yes and no. I managed to track down the garbage that was collected with Ms. Asano's body when Suzuki and Matsuo first got her at the landfill. Forensics have been through it but there's nothing else in there that could help. Any cell phone found wasn't hers. There were a few items where we may be able to match for DNA but without her body, we've currently got nothing."

"I'll make sure we have a team going to Asano's place today with us," Sango noted, getting out her cell. "We can pull samples for comparison there."

Inuyasha frowned, nails clacking together. "What about a rug or tarp or something? A sheet? Was anything like that found?"

Miroku shook his head. "I went through the log myself."

"That makes _no sense_," Inuyasha muttered, feeling his irritation build again. Why couldn't anything in the case resolve itself easily? "If the body was moved to the dumpster by what we've all determined is a panicked moron, where is the thing they used to move the body?"

"I don't think we settled on moron," Miroku pointed out but Inuyasha waved a dismissive hand at him.

"You don't get a vote." Sango raised her eyebrows between the two of them but Inuyasha wasn't interested in having it all blow up in his face. "There's something else we're missing."

"You say that a lot."

"Because I'm doing the job of everyone here and contrary to the belief of this precinct, it's not easy."

"Did you just say our jobs were difficult? Was that validation?" Miroku questioned.

Inuyasha glared at him. "I compared myself to the entirety of your department, at the same time. I was absolutely insulting you."

"What's gotten you all mean?" Sango asked, frowning. "Where's Kagome?"

With a scoff, he waved his hand. "Talking to Katsuki. Probably having her mind numbed by all the stupidity coming off of him. The fucker didn't submit some paper and her insurance company is refusing to pay out until it's submitted."

"Wow, and I thought you were mean to us," Miroku mumbled, turning his attention back to his computer. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"So she's not helping you with this?" Sango asked carefully, her magenta eyes soft.

She would like that, wouldn't she? Inuyasha levelled her with a flat glare. "She's my partner. Obviously she's helping. She helped more last night at one in the morning than either of you two have this entire case."

Miroku groaned and shot an incredulous glare at Inuyasha – probably the continued insults were getting to him – but Sango simply looked shocked. "One in the morning?"

"Yes." He didn't elaborate. Let their tiny minds think of all the stupid, idiotic things they were going to think of. Maybe it would keep them off his back for the rest of it. "Can we get back to the case?"

"That's pretty late," Sango pressed, wheedling.

Inuyasha scowled. "Whatever you say. Now, tell me there's some fucking competency to the wolf and his goddamn team of idiots. Any details back from the Jinenji Egawa scene?"

"You'll have to ask Koharu," Miroku answered, tone careful. "She's the one still on the Egawa case."

"Useless," Inuyasha grumbled, pulling out his phone to send her a text. "Bureaucratic shit."

"Please, tell us once again your thoughts on bureaucracy," Sango drawled.

Inuyasha could hear the familiar cadence of Kagome's voice from the other side of the room, growing closer. He couldn't make out the words, not with all the general noise from the precinct around them, but he could tell she wasn't happy.

"Uh, Inuyasha?"

Shooting a glare to Sango, Inuyasha barked out, "What now?"

"Wow." The female detective didn't even flinch, only stared at him completely unimpressed. It only irritated Inuyasha further. "You're really in a mood today."

"I was pretty happy before I came here, I assure you," he bit out. "Now what do you want?"

For a second, it seemed like Sango would hold out just to spite him. He could practically see the calculations behind her eyes, trying to figure out if what she was going to put out there was worth it. Apparently it was, because she sighed. "On Monday, I may need you to help me with Sakura Scientific."

"Are we still talking about them?" Inuyasha bitched. "Seriously? They're wrong."

"No body, no proof. Just Kagome's word against theirs, and they have paperwork."

"Falsified paperwork."

"Doesn't matter," Sango argued. "I'm going to try to break the diener but if he doesn't help then we'll be screwed. With everything I'm doing, we're walking a fine line before the lab decides its had enough and wants to pursue legal action."

"And how is that my problem?" Inuyasha snapped.

The detective shrugged. "It's not, but it will be your partner's."

Of course. Kagome was in the middle of all of it, her word going against theirs. Even if it never held up in court, there was a lot of damage that they could do to her in the meanwhile. With a grimace, Inuyasha swore. "Fine."

Sango smiled again, but it was far from the easy-looking thing she had shot Miroku's way earlier. "That was simple."

"Fuck off."

"It's great working with you, too."

"Hey," Miroku cut in, distracting Inuyasha from her attitude. "Sarge just messaged me. We have the go-ahead for Asano's apartment. We can do a first look through but full gear. Forensics won't be there until later."

"The Jane Doe?" Kagome's familiar voice popped in. "How are you able to bring a team there?"

"Pulled a few strings," Sango admitted. "She's officially missing persons since we got her father to file a report. Normally we'd have to wait another day but considering the circumstances, we got permission to proceed."

"Hopefully we can get some answers to make it worth it," Kagome said, eyeing her phone worriedly. Inuyasha knew exactly what was going on.

"Let's stop wasting time and get there already," he stated, spinning her around by her shoulders to push her towards the main door. "We have a conspiracy to end and murders to solve."

Kagome shook her head but she gave him a look, one that he could easily interpret as fond.

Inuyasha gentled his touch, but didn't let go of her. Not when he made her grab his printed files for the wall collage, not as they pushed through the main doors, and not until they entered the parking lot.

* * *

The moment he turned onto the street that held the apartment building for Sara Asano, Inuyasha nearly cursed at the sight of a black SUV parked outside. He would know that stupid vehicle anywhere. That could only mean one thing, or at least, that was what Inuyasha hoped.

He parked his motorcycle behind it, situating them easily so that Kagome could hop off as he killed the engine. Inuyasha watched as the doctor's eyes instantly landed on the SUV as well, her lips pressed in a thin, tight line.

"Did you know?" she asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. "But he owes me something, so this may be time to collect."

Kagome frowned but followed his lead anyways. As usual, Rin was leaning outside of the back door, her milky brown eyes glued to her cell phone. Inuyasha was pretty sure she hadn't properly looked away from it ever since Sesshomaru handed the damn thing to her. He had to give his half-brother credit where it was due: he knew how to instill loyalty when the purpose served him. Rin's history was a dark and twisted one, but you'd never know it from looking at her.

Inuyasha did his cursory sweep anyways, noting that as ever, she looked like a young businesswoman with a penchant for texting. There were no outward signs of her previous life, not in the way she moved or how she spoke. Sesshomaru had trained her well. "Rin," he greeted.

"Hi Inuyasha," the young woman answered, ignoring her phone messages to beam a smile his way. "He's ready to see you."

"I fucking bet."

"And hi again, Kagome!" Rin was as bubbly as ever and Inuyasha watched, amused, as Kagome looked disgruntled at the sight of it. She was having a hard time reconciling the woman that aided her kidnapping to the image of the young, vibrant woman before her. It was a part of Rin's usefulness, that much Inuyasha had been able to deduce. "You're welcome to join him."

"Do we have to sit inside?" Kagome asked.

Rin nodded. "Yes."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "The sun would damage his perfect complexion," he muttered, nudging the doctor before opening the door to the SUV. It was a familiar song and dance for him, sliding in to sit opposite of his half-brother. As per usual, the asshole didn't even look in his general direction.

"Never thought I'd be here again," Kagome muttered darkly, shooting a glare Sesshomaru's way.

Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk, pleased.

"If I had my way, you would not be." Somehow, the demon managed to make it seem like he was looking down on all of them as he shifted, glancing at each of them in turn for a few seconds. "I see this is still a thing."

"Pointing out the obvious is rather pedestrian of you, isn't it?" Inuyasha drawled, holding out his hand. "The file."

He could see it, sitting right beside Sesshomaru's lap on the leather bench seat. The demon made no move to give it to him. "This mistake will cost you."

"Yeah, yeah, it always does," Inuyasha bit out quickly. "Now can I see the fucking file or do you need to owe me _another _favour?"

There was something like a ghost of a smile on his half-brother's face, but Inuyasha knew it was nothing of the kind. An act; a simple mask as part of a larger power play. Inuyasha had grown up with it his entire life. He knew by now that Sesshomaru felt nothing and cared for no one, with the only possible exception being his personal assistant. The rest were free to burn when the earth finally tore itself apart.

Carefully, Sesshomaru picked up the file and held it out. "Your assumptions were correct."

"Obviously," Inuyasha retorted, scanning the front page inside the folder quickly before passing it off to Kagome. She took it easily, her dark gaze drinking in the information. He forced himself to look back to his half-brother. "Couldn't you have just emailed this shit to me? Or are you not getting the chance to be dramatic enough at work? Too few militias to take down? Not enough spies to make cry?"

"If only we could all live in your dramatic fantasy world," Sesshomaru replied, voice as cool and hard as steel.

"Wait." Kagome's voice broke through the conversation, her brows furrowed. "This is a confirmation of maternity."

"For Sara Asano," Inuyasha added. "The note Koharu sent had some relevance after all."

"Both of her parents were human," Kagome went on, voice overly light. "But she was clearly a half-breed."

"Her registration for a change in identity will be at the back."

Kagome flipped to it but she didn't hesitate before continuing, dark eyes finding his own golden ones. "That means she was Consumed to gain her new status, which would explain why she had to go to the doctor so often. Half-breeds created through demonic consumption is rarely stable and often life-threatening without the proper medication to ensure a genetic balance."

"Exactly."

"What about Jinenji?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Those records were accessible. His father was a demon, and his mother was human."

"Why were hers difficult to track?"

"She changed her last name," Sesshomaru cut in then. He was looking out the window, like the whole thing bored him greatly. "After she was Consumed four years ago, she filed to legally change her identity."

"And her father—"

"Didn't know," Inuyasha answered.

"The last time he saw her was seven years ago." Kagome nodded, the information connecting. "So what does this mean?"

"Nothing, right now," Inuyasha confirmed. "Not until we get inside her apartment."

As if beckoned, the door to the back opened to reveal Rin's happy face. "Detectives Tsujitani and Houko are waiting for you, Inuyasha."

With a roll of his eyes, he gestured for Kagome to get out, hesitating when her back was turned. He made sure that Sesshomaru had finally looked back at him, confused by the lack of movement, before leaning forward. "Happy?"

"Far from it," his half-brother replied. "Just because she isn't a complete and utter imbecile does not mean this venture is worthwhile."

"It's not the same," Inuyasha pressed.

"Until it becomes the same." With that, Sesshomaru looked back out the window, a clear dismissal. Inuyasha wanted to leap over there and strangle him but knew by know that physical matches were hardly useful.

No, he had an apartment to search and murders to solve.

He muttered his thanks to Rin as he got out, paying little mind to her goodbyes as he met Kagome, Miroku and Sango standing outside of the apartment building. Sango was talking on the phone, her eyes focused on the front door of the lobby. Clearly, she was speaking to someone who was about to grant them access.

"What's the hold-up?"

"The landlord is late," Miroku answered, shrugging. "The usual."

"I was telling him what we learned about Sara," Kagome filled in. "Why it might be important."

"Did he suggest that?" Inuyasha shot the detective a dirty look. "Don't ruin her intelligence with your terrible procedural shit. No assumptions can be made."

"You assume all the time!" Miroku exclaimed.

"I deduce, it's different."

"Hey," Sango cut in, "we're good." She waved towards the front doors where a harried-looking old man was holding them open.

Inuyasha narrowed his gaze and then scoffed. "We interrupted his porn watching," he stated. "I thought this visit was organized."

"It _was_." Sango looked disgusted. "And please don't tell me shit like that."

Kagome was already up ahead, and when the landlord offered his hand to shake, Inuyasha quickly smacked it away and pushed between them, ushering her into the lobby.

"Trust me," Inuyasha stated. "You don't want to touch him."

There was a little hesitance but she only wrinkled her nose at him. "Did you have to hit him, though?"

"What else was I supposed to do? Pick you up?" Inuyasha scowled. "Now what fucking apartment is it?"

It took a bit of time to prepare, Miroku cajoling him into wearing the stupid boots with the gloves while Kagome suited up entirely. Eventually the landlord produced the key and showed them inside Sara Asano's tiny apartment, sitting on the fifth floor. It was neat but incredibly full, knickknacks and blankets thrown on every surface. The walls were covered in photographs, polaroids of parties and outdoor adventures. There was very little room to maneuver so he immediately put his hand out, halting the detectives from coming inside. "Not you."

"Excuse me?" Sango asked, unimpressed.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Fine, then not _yet_. Kagome, with me."

"You see this, right?" Sango asked in a hush to Miroku but Inuyasha paid them little mind. With so many items and so little room to work with, the job was going to be extremely simple or far more complex than it needed to be.

"I'll search the bathroom first," Kagome stated. "Give you time in here."

Inuyasha nodded distantly. Sara Asano was an interesting woman. Her penchant for shopping showcased anxiety rather than vanity, a lack of mirrors and reflective surfaces available. She preferred comfort over fashion. She was always cold, a symptom of her medical condition. Inuyasha started to pull apart her bedding, looking for any signs that would be relevant. No bed partner, unless—Inuyasha moved to the laundry basket, searching. Sheets were nowhere to be found. He narrowed his eyes, considered, and then moved on. The drawers in her nightstand were filled with bookmarks and pens, some more photos that clearly hadn't been looked at in a long while due to the dust on them. There were notebooks everywhere, but in scanning the pages he mostly saw terrible poetry or half-made speeches. Dreams of grandeur, clear, but nothing uncommon.

Still, nothing that helped at all.

"Nothing strange in the bathroom," Kagome called out, reappearing. The blue of the Tyvek protective equipment made her look paler than she actually was. "Basic necessities. It's not very clean but there aren't any signs of struggle or recent injury. Nothing in the trash. Her meds are in the cabinet though. It's dromalidomide, which is a pretty standard immunosuppressant for something like this."

"Bring it here," Inuyasha requested, turning around in the room again. He had to think like Sara to understand. She was a woman making a name for herself, focused on friends and social issues. She was finally working herself up to a job in the political sphere. She had been Consumed, asking for demonic powers. She was reimagining her life, remaking herself.

She had a secret that was dangerous, something that Jinenji Egawa couldn't report and got them both killed.

Nothing was in her notebooks, which meant she hid whatever details she had.

He heard Kagome come back into the room but he was too busy turning over the mattress, seeing nothing underneath. Inuyasha had already checked her nightstand. Where, where, _where_ would she— _Of course_. She had asked for herself to be reborn, but in the end, Sara Asano was a woman who was alone, who never really had a family to care for her. Some things you never grew out of.

Inuyasha pulled open the top dresser drawer, scowling at the disorganized piles of socks and underwear.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked.

"Finding our fucking clue," Inuyasha muttered, pushing everything around until he heard the crackle of paper. He sought it out, gloved hand reaching until he felt it in the back-left corner. It was a folded scrap of white paper, bent and roughened from handling. He opened it up slowly, looking at the familiar scrawl of writing and reading its only message:

_Can't find any proof. Whatever they had is gone or hidden._

"That's Jinenji's writing," Kagome said, her voice exceptionally close. Inuyasha felt his body shiver, his eyes leaving the clue to take in the distance between them: negligible. He blinked, listening as she went on. "So they were definitely working together."

"Appears that way," Inuyasha replied slowly, dragging his gaze back to what was important. "And they were looking for something."

"Something 'they' had. Who's the 'they'?"

"More fucking mysteries," Inuyasha grumbled, placing the note down on the dresser. "We need to get back to my place. Whatever they were looking for is what got them killed, and whoever 'they' are must be the first victims."

"What?"

Inuyasha scowled at her. "Keep up, we went over this last night. Sara Asano cannot have been the first. A cover-up this big, under such a large conspiracy? It has to be murder, and the first victims started it all. Come on, let's go. Miroku and Sango can do whatever the hell useless shit they do." He took out his phone, readying it to take a photo of the note.

"What about the meds?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha held out his free hand, wiggling his fingers. He snapped three quick pictures before pocketing his phone and turning his attention to the sealed container. It was standard, just as Kagome had stated, and nothing about the dosage or the medication seemed—

Inuyasha swore, loudly and with gusto.

Kagome looked alarmed. "What? Inuyasha, what?"

"Miroku!" he barked, reaching into the pocket of his jeans. "Get the papers out of my motorcycle, _now_. The ones I printed."

The detective looked flummoxed but Inuyasha knew he'd understand, used to this by now. He tossed the keys to Miroku, his hand clenched tightly around the container. There was no way. It couldn't be mere coincidence. That wasn't possible, not in such a conspiracy.

_Oh_, he had seen it all so wrong. He had made an assumption, a stupid bias. Of course, _of course_, why hadn't he seen it before? All the signs were there. Little by little, coming out of the woodwork like desperate termites. He was a goddamn fool.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted. "Tell me!"

He thrust the pill bottle into her hands. "Check the name."

The doctor frowned, confused by his behaviour. "It says _Asano, Sara_, just like it sh—"

"No, not her name!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "The name of her doctor."

Her frown deepened. "_Dr. T. Suzuki_," she said slowly and Inuyasha felt like his entire body was going to combust.

"Doctor Tsukuyomaru Suzuki," Inuyasha confirmed, nodding. When Miroku skidded to a stop back in the room, he grabbed the papers from him, shuffling over and over until he had exactly what he needed. "On May 3rd, Dr. Suzuki was found dead in his home. The police believed it to be a suicide. _This _is one of the stories Jinenji was working on."

"You think it's all connected?" Sango asked, pressing her way into the group. "A suicide, two murders and a stolen body."

"Of course it's all connected," Inuyasha snapped, whirling around in a circle and feeling the unstoppable buzz of lightning under his skin. "But it's far more than that, Detective. This conspiracy has no room for suicides." He couldn't keep the smirk off of his face. "The doctor was murdered, just like the rest of them."

* * *

**Next Time on **_**Deductions:**_

"[His name is] Inuyasha," Kagome sighed. "And we are friends. _Only _friends."

"I bet."

"Grandpa!" Kagome chastised, horrified. She thought the hard part would be convincing them that despite everything, her life was okay. She could move out and be _fine_. Not… Not arguing over her love life.

"I'm just saying," her grandfather tried, putting on big innocent eyes that fooled absolutely no one. Inuyasha would be having a field day. "You seemed quite eager to leave with him the other day, and now you've spent two nights there? Your grandmother and I—"

"_No_," Kagome cut in firmly. "None of that."

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

Guest: I adore Sesshomaru in this. It's interesting because he's a mixture of Mycroft and (obviously) Sesshomaru so the blending is…a constant work in progress, but fun at least :) Not sure he's going to inspire any feelings between our darling Inuyasha and Kagome, but I promise they'll get there on their own. Just a matter of time, now! Thank you, dear.

Stella: YES. The Inuyasha mystery is just as fun as the story's mystery… And you will find out, but it'll be interesting to see how it unfolds. I say that because I don't really know HOW it's going to unfold XD We'll find out together. GAH. Yes, Inuyasha on the treadmill. But I've been so, so lucky to have Wolfcry77 on tumblr do some _amazing _art for Deductions, a shirtless Inuyasha being one of them :D I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

Questions: Thank you darling! You're always so sweet. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Mal: Hahahahahahaha. Sesshomaru is definitely…different, and in this story his feelings towards Kagome are very sharp compared to canon. But it'll all be explained, eventually. Sesshomaru will actually be quite important in the end :) Thank you, as always, my dear!

Guest: Ah, don't die! I promise you'll learn everything soon enough :) In this story, Sesshomaru and Sara are _not _affiliated in any way. I just needed half-demons and Sara fit a very specific demand… Which you learned about this chapter :D ! Thank you darling!

Guest: Aw, thank you! I am trying to update every three weeks, because if I wait too long I know that it'll be so much harder to remember details. And there are a billion details in this already! Tons more on Sesshomaru coming. He'll be fun and important to the story, so I'm excited for him :) Thank you, dear! Means a lot.

Irish Indy: Haha I know. There's the main story, and then there's Inuyasha's story and…we really haven't touched on Inuyasha's story at all. We will, and we won't. I have a vague idea at how it all plays out but we'll see :) All in due time, as long as I keep my ducks in order! Thank you so much, love. You're too kind!

* * *

**Feedback is love.**


	10. (9) Only Friends

**Author's Note: **I think quarantine is finally getting to me. I hope this chapter even makes sense. I mean, it should, I wrote it a long time ago, but my brain is a blah.

* * *

**Deductions **

**Part One**

_Chapter 9: Only Friends_

* * *

Kagome could see the way Inuyasha was buzzing, practically flying off the walls. His words were tripping over each other, each thought faster than the last, fighting to get out of his mouth and into the open air. Kagome had never really seen this from him, not so much. At Jinenji's place, it had been a sort of desperation but this... This was different. It was vibrancy, colouring everything around them. She wondered if he would be like this all night, if he would stop.

"I need to get home," Inuyasha stated, barely heard between bits of other thoughts and conspiracies. "I need to see how this all works. There's a connection to all of them, and that connection is our killer."

"Okay, I don't think we need to wait for Miroku or Sango—"

But he wouldn't let her finish. He was already pacing away, out towards the stairs and down to the lobby of the apartment complex. Kagome tried not to roll her eyes, following him at a much slower pace. It wasn't like he was going to just leave her stranded. Was he? "Inuyasha!"

"What?" He didn't sound irritated or angry; another difference compared to the examination of Jinenji's place. He sounded excited. "Where are you?"

Kagome hurried as best as she could. "I'm not as fast as you, remember?"

He rolled his eyes. "As if I would forget."

She had a feeling that he did, more than he cared to admit. "Home, then?"

"Yes. No." Inuyasha clacked his nails together and Kagome could practically see every gear and wheel turning inside of his mind. What was it like, to be him? To think as quickly as he did? "Not yet."

"I thought you wanted to go home." Kagome frowned. "Do we need to make a stop?"

"No, but I need to go for a run." Inuyasha nodded firmly and then smirked at her. "I'll be back in ten."

"Wh—What? Inuyasha!" She barely managed to grab even a bit of leather from his jacket, the feel of it ripping out from her fingers instantly. If he truly wanted to go, Kagome would never be able to stop him.

The consulting detective whirled on her. "What?" he asked, and it sounded painfully genuine. "What's wrong?"

Kagome blinked, uncomprehending. "What's wrong?" she asked him back, dumbly. How could someone so smart be so stupid?

Ah, now the irritation was there, creeping into his features. She watched as his golden eyes narrowed, raking up and down her frame as if to deduce what was truly going on in her mind. "You stopped me because you're confused," he stated, though the words were slow.

"Yeah, because why the hell are you going for a run? It's hot out and you're wearing a jacket!" That wasn't really the reason. Kagome just didn't understand why he felt that he needed to leave. Didn't they already have a plan to go home? What would a run do for them now?

"Ah." Inuyasha nodded again, taking a quick breath in. "I get it. Yeah, no, I need to run right now. If I don't, I'll probably get us killed on the motorcycle."

That made even less sense. "I don't understand."

"I can't—" Inuyasha growled then, hands running through his hair before jerking back to his sides. "Just— Give me ten minutes, okay? And then, I can explain. But I can't right now. I need to go. There's too much—" He waved his hands around again, like that meant anything at all.

She didn't accept so much as have nothing else to say to that. With a shrug, Kagome watched as Inuyasha took that as an affirmative before disappearing out the front door, so fast he was clearly exercising those demonic muscles of his. She stared at the doorway, still as confused as before. It felt like every crime scene was something different with him. Had he ever been consistent, just once? At the lab, he had been firm and in control, almost cocky. At the alleyway, he was a little mean, assessing and cutting to any behaviour deemed stupid. At Jinenji's house, he had been borderline cruel, out of control and now this? This sort of vibrating, excess energy that didn't seem to die down. Like a battery that was overflowing.

Maybe that was what he meant, Kagome thought, still staring at the door. As much as his attitudes were different, so was every crime scene. They had all been successful to some degree – maybe this was what he was like when there was a major break in the case.

She heard footsteps on the stairwell so she shrugged and headed back up. If she was going to stick around for another ten minutes, then she may as well try to learn as much as she could from Sango and Miroku. Maybe they would see something else that was useful. For a moment, she could practically hear Inuyasha's scoff, and it made her smile.

"Oh, hey," Sango said the moment Kagome peered back in. "You haven't left?"

"Inuyasha needed to go…" How would she explain it best?

"For a run?" Miroku supplied, smiling at her. At her returning expression, he chuckled. "Yeah, he does that sometimes."

"Huh." Kagome took off her Tyvek bodysuit and booties since she had already tracked them outside of the scene. There was nothing new to put on so she stayed out, careful to not lean on anything. "Do you know why?"

"Honestly, no." Sango stared off into the distance for a second before shaking her head. "He doesn't do it all the time, just when something happens that he likes. It gets more intense the closer to the truth we get."

"Other times he rips away on his motorcycle," Miroku added, grimacing. "Pretty sure he does it to piss me off. He starts out slow but I can hear that stupid thing roaring away afterwards. One of these days I'll be waiting to give him a damn ticket."

Sango snorted. "Yeah, I'd like front row seats to that."

Grinning, Miroku took off his gloves and made his way out of the room. "Forensics will be here any moment. If you don't want to see Koga, then it's maybe best to leave now."

"I'm stuck waiting for him to come back," Kagome groaned. "Really? Why Koga?"

"That's what Inuyasha says every time," Sango pointed out. "Which, now that he's not here, I've got to ask: did you buy some new clothes?"

Kagome tried not to flinch, only because she had been expecting the comment ever since they entered the precinct that morning. She'd been pretty safe in the beginning, Sango barely sparing her a glance while she set Inuyasha up with Jinenji's laptop. "It's not what it looks like."

"Oh, so those aren't Inuyasha's clothes?" Miroku was still smiling but she could tell it wasn't malicious. If anything, he seemed inordinately pleased.

Kagome groaned. "Yeah but only because I stayed the night working the case with him. _Not _like whatever you're thinking."

Holding his hands up placatingly, Miroku laughed. "I didn't think anything in particular."

"Bullshit," Sango called. "Well, at least it's not too bad. It's just a t-shirt but it's, you know—"

"Big?"

"And red," she added, shrugging. "Inuyasha likes red."

Considering the accents within his house, Kagome had to agree. "It's not going to become a habit."

Miroku snorted but didn't say anything, and when she tried to argue with him, he pulled out his cell phone. "I have to take this."

"Liar," Kagome grumbled.

"He's been waiting for this for a long time," Sango explained. She looked as happy as Miroku did. "Inuyasha has been a pain in our asses for a long time. Now he's yours."

"So you've been waiting for him to get a partner?"

"Or a babysitter. Or a keeper." Sango shrugged. "We weren't picky."

* * *

They managed to avoid Koga, but only barely. Kagome had taken one look at Inuyasha's flushed face, cheeks red from the sting of the wind with his silver hair all knotted and simply gave him his helmet. She bit her lip and tried not to think about how attractive he was like this, standing close while he set up for their ride.

Even though he had promised to explain, he didn't, and Kagome was too distracted getting him away from the scene and Koga to really think about it. She held on tight to him as they drove through the city streets and stood by his side as they took the elevator up to his apartment, papers in hand.

Kagome stared at the collage on the wall and told herself it was for the best that she was leaving anyways. Inuyasha simply looked at the mess of papers, post-it notes and thread with rapt attention, scanning every inch of it like if he kept trying, he'd burn every detail into his mind. For a split second, she wondered if she should put off going home and packing a few things up. Kagome had already had the difficult conversation with her mother that morning, but she knew there would be another talk the moment she stepped foot through the door.

And she understood it, she did. Her mother was always supportive, so it was hard for her to understand why Kagome couldn't simply stay there. Sometimes, Kagome couldn't even answer that question for herself; she felt like a bad guy more often than a good one. But she knew herself, she knew her family, and being close just wasn't in her heart. She loved them dearly, that would never change. But Kagome needed her own space and her own thoughts.

The cab ride over was a stressful one. She tried not to think about everything that could go wrong.

It shouldn't have surprised her that her mother was hovering by the door when she arrived. She had a dishcloth in her hands, wrung out and abused. For a moment, Kagome felt like the worst child in the world. "Hi Momma."

"Kagome, I'm so glad you're home." She tried not to flinch at the words, didn't want her mom to see how much it bothered her. She knew her mother wasn't intentionally trying to upset her. "I've been worried."

"I'm okay, I promise." Kagome tried for a smile and let herself be led into the kitchen. She watched as her mother made a beeline for the kettle, her grandfather already sitting at the table reading the news. It was all so familiar, it brought Kagome back to her high school days, returning from school with piles of homework and stress, knowing she needed top marks to make it into the best university.

At her entrance, her grandfather looked up and smiled. "Well, well. You've returned."

"I wasn't gone that long," Kagome tried, knowing it was futile when he only raised an eyebrow in response. Oh yeah, she remembered that eyebrow. Judgemental without saying a word; at least he was loving about it.

"You've been gone two nights in a row," her mother reminded her gently. "Usually texting me to let me know after midnight."

Kagome closed her eyes for a moment, forcing back a groan. "I didn't plan on staying out. I'm sorry it was so late, I should have—"

"It's not that," her mom interjected, voice still kind. "I'm just worried."

"You don't have to be," Kagome pressed. "Sure, it's been kind of crazy losing my job, and the whole thing with my apartment but I've been busy. Good busy."

Her grandfather scoffed but thankfully her mother quelled that with a look. "Dad." He grumbled and then went back to his newspaper. It made Kagome feel marginally better, if only because there wouldn't be a verbal two-against-one.

"I've already got another job," Kagome stated, hoping to alleviate some of her mother's fears right off the bat. "It's…somewhat in the medical field, and I'm helping people. It's way better than working at the lab."

Her mother's eyebrows raised. "What exactly are you doing?"

"I consult," Kagome answered slowly. She needed to figure out the best way to frame it so that her mother wouldn't be upset but she would also not be worried. That was always the fine line, wasn't it? Being good enough and being safe enough. As hard and difficult as being a doctor in the ER was, it would be leagues better than working with cops to solve murders. Still, her mother just wanted her to be happy. Kagome tried for another smile. "It's a bit strange, but I help investigators solve cases. I assess bodies – kind of like what I did at Sakura Scientific – and help them to determine which direction to move forward in."

The kettle started to go off and Kagome breathed a sigh of relief when her mother turned her back to get it. She wanted to move out – she _needed _to move out – but she didn't want to hurt her mom, or disappoint her. It was like building an impossible case against herself.

"And where, exactly, have you been staying?" The question was innocent enough, but Kagome couldn't see her expression as she made the tea. She hoped it was as calm as her voice.

"With the person I consult with," Kagome replied. There was no way around this conversation. "You met him the other day."

"Oh!" With a broad smile, her mother turned around with a flourish. "He's cute!"

"He's something alright," she muttered, mostly under her breath. Of course, that would be the one thing about Inuyasha she remembered. Then again, it was probably better than the way he deduced her grandfather within seconds. At that, she peeked over at her grandfather, who was clearly only pretending to read the newspaper. The man was looking at her with a barely contained smile.

Well, _he _remembered, anyways.

"He consults on other things, but I focus on the medical stuff," Kagome said, trying to keep the conversation on the right path. "I've already got a few jobs lined up and it's decent money." She had no idea how much money it was. She and Inuyasha hadn't discussed that yet which was—God, Kagome was so distracted.

"I thought you said he was just a friend?" Her mother looked at her, somewhat suspicious as she put the cup of tea down in front of her, taking the nearest chair to sit in.

"He is! He's been helping me, after he heard about my apartment." Not an entire lie. Not the truth either.

"We never did get his name," her grandfather mused, still doing his fake little newspaper act. Kagome glowered at him, but it was no use.

Her mother latched on to that tidbit instantly. "That's right!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome sighed. "And we are friends. _Only _friends."

"I bet."

"Grandpa!" Kagome chastised, horrified. She thought the hard part would be convincing them that despite everything, her life was okay. She could move out and be _fine_. Not… Not arguing over her love life.

"I'm just saying," her grandfather tried, putting on big innocent eyes that fooled absolutely no one. Inuyasha would be having a field day. "You seemed quite eager to leave with him the other day, and now you've spent two nights there? Your grandmother and I—"

"_No_," Kagome cut in firmly. "None of that."

Snorting, he put down the newspaper and stared at her, his grey eyes warm and familiar. "It would be nice to know that you're happy."

Kagome blinked, surprised. Her mother was equally stunned, a sort of confusion on her face that wasn't often seen. Frustration? Certainly. Exasperated fondness at his antics? All the time. But rarely did he say something to surprise her, after years and years together. He had always been there for her, ever since her father died.

"Thanks," Kagome said. This time, when she smiled, she didn't have to try at all. "I think…despite this horrible week, I kind of am."

"Kagome—" Her mother tried but Grandpa chuckled, loud enough to distract even her.

"Asako, she's just like her father," her grandfather said, his own smile large on his face. "The crazy genes didn't come from me, mind you."

Her mom sighed then and dropped her face into her hand, watching Kagome with something akin to nostalgia. "I don't get it," she started slowly, "but if this is what you think is best, then you know I'm behind you."

"I know," Kagome murmured softly, reaching out to tug at her mom's free hand. "I'm sorry anyways."

Whether her mother accepted that as true or not, she shook her head and squeezed back for all she was worth. "You've nothing to be sorry for. Like Grandpa said, you're just like your father."

* * *

Kagome shouldn't have been surprised in the least when she heard Inuyasha muttering loudly from the living room upon arriving to the apartment. She had only her mother's borrowed suitcase with the new clothes she had purchased the other day, and a handful of toiletries that her mother had given her. The few precious other items were from her to-go bag, the one she had grabbed before everything in her life literally exploded and went down in flames.

She still had a lot of shopping to do but as she had mentioned to Inuyasha before, money was a bit tight.

"Hello?" she called out, hauling the suitcase inside. It had been horrific dragging them up the stairs; Kagome was exhausted.

"_Finally_," Inuyasha called out, seemingly by her side in the flash. He grabbed the suitcase and her backpack, practically dragging it off of her before running them across the apartment and leaping up the stairs.

Kagome didn't even have time to blink. She was too shocked. When Inuyasha smugly walked out of the spare bedroom – _her _bedroom – empty-handed, he clapped his hands together like a job well done.

"I've had a breakthrough."

"Is that why you commandeered my stuff? So I could come see what you did?"

"How else am I going to be told I did good work?" Inuyasha shot her a look that was completely unreadable before jumping back down, beelining for the living room with the collage.

Which was…a lot more than a collage now. It was practically their new wallpaper. "You've been busy," Kagome commented faintly, dark eyes roaming every inch. There were little packets of paper, dangling from clips on string. She was pretty sure one of Jinenji's stories was pasted as a border on the bottom, the entirety of his writing available.

"Something this deep has too many details," Inuyasha stated. "I needed to suss out the ones that were relevant."

"And those are…?"

He rolled his eyes, a scowl starting to form. "Really?" And while he didn't explicitly say it was a dumb question, Kagome was pretty sure it was implied. He waved a hand at the wall instead. "All of this. Obviously," he tacked on.

"It's my first homicide," Kagome bit out, a touch of heat to let him know that his attitude sure as hell wouldn't fly for much longer. "Never mind double homicide."

"Triple," Inuyasha corrected but he jogged towards the centre of the masterpiece. There, in large red cut-out letters read the word _SPIDER_.

"Spider? What does that have to do with anything?"

"This is their _web_," Inuyasha pointed out, and Kagome could hear the edge in his voice, the excitement that bordered on agitation. "Whoever had the contacts to make this all happen is behind _everything_. They've weaved a web so intricate that if you tug on even one string incorrectly, the whole fucking thing will fall apart before your eyes."

Kagome would have taken that as a problem, something to be exhausted by. Inuyasha was practically vibrating on the spot, nails clicking over and over again against each other.

"They're a fucking _genius_."

"You're a genius," Kagome said, shrugging. "You'll get whoever it is."

"That wasn't what I worried about," he responded, but his golden eyes glanced her way for a moment too long before spinning right back to the monstrosity before him. Kagome held back a smile; he was a genius, but he was starting to become a little predictable. At least, around her.

"Then what are you worried about?"

Inuyasha wasn't someone to hesitate and usually, she could barely keep up with his sentences. They ran so fast, quick as lightning, said almost without thought unless you knew the mind behind it. But this time, Kagome watched as the consulting detective frowned slightly, gathering his thoughts. "This is… Too plebeian. Basic." Inuyasha took a couple steps back, the better to eye the wall. "If I had all the pieces, this would be boring."

"Boring?" Kagome asked, incredulous. "How could any of this be boring?"

"We're on the wrong side of it," Inuyasha went on, ignoring her. "You hold all the strings, you're the centre of the web, and all of this is simple. It requires money and some thugs and you're done. Whoever our spider is, they're too far above this. The conspiracy is one thing, and there's a killer at fault. But the Spider… They're someone different."

Even this was too complicated. Kagome rubbed at her forehead. "That doesn't make any sense. This spider person isn't behind it all?"

Snorting, Inuyasha sent her a disbelieving look. "Meddling in the lives of a social influencer, a small-time journalist and a doctor? No. That's far too pedestrian for what our Spider wants. Think of it like the _Wizard of Oz_. The motive for these murders is thanks to our Wicked Witch of the West, but the means? That's all Oz, pulling strings in the background for the fun of it."

Kagome wanted the metaphor to make sense, but it still seemed too far-fetched. She believed Inuyasha though, whole-heartedly, she simply didn't understand. Her stomach grumbled faintly, adding to her exhaustion. She hadn't even stopped to really eat, nothing more than the snacks her mother had sneakily put out for her.

Inuyasha was still frowning at the wall.

"Let's go get dinner." The suggestion was easy enough to make, even with Inuyasha's incredulous golden eyes shifting in her direction. "You can tell me the connections I've missed."

"There's a wall for that."

Kagome had to stop herself from shaking her head. It was a near thing. Grabbing her phone, she started taking pictures of it, close-ups and larger landscapes for later. "Better?"

"How is that better?"

"Now you won't forget." She flashed him a smile and put her phone back in her purse. "We'll have dinner and you can tell me every little detail. I need food and you need someone to rant at. It's perfect."

Opening his mouth, Kagome could tell that he was going to argue. It was written in the lines of his body, in the way his fingers twitched to press against each other. Then he relaxed, shut his mouth and rolled his eyes like he was doing her the greatest favour in the world. "Fine, but I'm picking the place."

Kagome had no arguments there, not even as they pulled up to a very busy restaurant on the other side of the city. She was absolutely starving and based on the cars flooding the parking lot, there was going to be a wait. Through her helmet, she squinted at the lit-up sign reading _Ayame's_. She had never even heard of it before.

Inuyasha didn't try for the parking lot, which was both better and worse. Kagome frowned as he pulled his motorcycle into the nearby alleyway, the one that connected to the building by the dumpsters. She wanted to ask, arms loosening as she could tell Inuyasha would be stopping. It was only as she looked around some more that she realized there were haphazard painted yellow lines: not the kind of paint used on actual roads, but some mimicry of it.

It was a parking spot, and inside of the yellow box read _RESERVED: TAISHO._

"You're kidding me," Kagome said the moment her helmet was off, disbelieving.

Inuyasha smirked. "You said I could pick the place."

There was nothing to say to that so Kagome simply watched him saunter away, turning the corner and disappearing within the restaurant. Following him only proved her point as she stepped inside: the place was packed. To be fair, there weren't that many tables inside. It was a small venue; more hole-in-the-wall style than a fully-fledged restaurant. There was an assortment of tables for two or four, some of them puzzled together to make room for larger parties. A bar lined the back, a young man with a white mohawk hurriedly tending it while two others moved through the room with dazzling speed, plates of food in hand. No one manned the host stand, but the few couples in line didn't seem to mind.

Inuyasha, obviously, disregarded all of it and strode right in.

"Oh god," she muttered, pushing her way through bodies to keep up. She hissed his name as she got close, disbelieving. "Inuyasha, there's a _line_."

"Not for him, there isn't." A young, beautiful woman stepped in between them, a sly smile on her face that was daring enough to distract from her bright features. Green eyes and stunning, auburn hair in high ponytails were the immediate things someone would notice. Upon closer reflection, Kagome could see the tips of her pointed ears peeking from the hairstyle and her sharp canines when she grinned even harder, pleased at the assessment. "You brought a girlfriend!"

"Not a girlfriend," Inuyasha corrected, only sounding vaguely interested in the conversation. "Have my table?"

"Always," the woman answered with a shrug. "Ginta or I will be with you in a second."

Inuyasha had clearly done this before many times, moving his way to the back of the restaurant and shifting a couple of random chairs to reveal a back corner right by the bar entrance. It was a small space but it fit a table for two, an empty candleholder placed in the middle forgotten. Inuyasha twisted to sit in the spot against the wall, his golden eyes instantly manoeuvring over the room of guests. It was an ideal space, she figured, for seeing everyone.

"It even has an escape route," Inuyasha said, easy like he wasn't reading her mind.

Kagome boggled at him but dutifully sat down in the opposite chair. She was beyond questioning how he knew anymore. "Was that Ayame?"

"Easy guess," Inuyasha replied, tracing of a smirk in his expression.

"She's young."

Inuyasha snorted, gaze focusing on some point over her shoulder. "You and I both know that means shit."

True. "How do you know her?" she asked, curious. Inuyasha seemed to know a lot of people, but none of them appeared particularly fond of the consulting detective. Miroku and Sango seemed to be the closest to friends he had. His half-brother was awful. The forensic tech was a dick. The homeless man had been mostly bemused, but they had only spent about ten minutes together, max. Kagome wasn't sure that qualified.

"She was framed for murder. I made sure she wasn't charged for a crime she didn't commit." Inuyasha shrugged. "She takes debts very seriously."

Kagome sighed. "Let me guess. You eat here for free, too?"

"He finds ways to sneak the money somewhere, no matter how much I tell him to shove it." Ayame squeezed in beside the table, hip cocked and green eyes bright. "He's a bit of a dick."

"I could have let you rot in jail." Inuyasha said this with a smirk that was borderline vicious but Ayame only laughed, delighted.

"Probably should have," she settled. "Would have saved Hakkaku and Ginta a lot of stress." She gestured towards the two other men in the room with her, bringing out food and readying drinks. "Pretty sure when I told them I was opening up a restaurant they both thought it would fail in a month."

"They _are_ morons," Inuyasha agreed.

Kagome groaned, but it was clear that this back-and-forth was some sort of scripted greeting. Ayame was younger than them by a few years, but it was clear she could handle herself. It made her wonder just what had happened to the girl to get her framed for murder.

"So I know what you want," Ayame broke in, easy enough with a gesture towards Inuyasha. "But I don't know about you."

"Not me," Inuyasha said. "I'm on a case."

Kagome realized then that she didn't have a menu. There wasn't even one with Ayame, who either didn't care or didn't think about it. Slowly, she shrugged. "I'll just have what he was having then?"

"Good choice." Ayame winked and fluttered away, Kagome's request for water going unheard.

Inuyasha was still smirking, but the vicious edge it held when he was talking to Ayame was gone, replaced with something far more familiar. He gestured towards the bar. "Hakkaku will bring some anyways."

She trusted him, even though the whole situation was a bit weird. "You know, you should be eating."

"Not on a case." Inuyasha crossed his arms, defiance in every line of his body. Kagome opened her mouth to argue when Ayame popped back into their space, a thick white candle in her hands.

"I almost forgot," she said, cheekily grinning at Inuyasha. "Can't have a date without a candle."

"No," Kagome argued at the exactly same time Inuyasha sighed, "This isn't a date, idiot."

Ayame ignored them both, producing a lighter from her apron's pocket and then holding it to the wick. "Here you go."

"We don't need a candle," Inuyasha tried again but Ayame gave him a thumbs up and disappeared once more. The consulting detective glared at her retreating back. "Sometimes I really wish the evidence had been wrong."

For some reason, that made her laugh, tension oozing from her body like slow-draining molasses. She hadn't even realized she'd been feeling that way, probably had been ever since going to her mom's place. It hit her then how strangely right the whole thing felt, arguing with him about eating at a crowded restaurant owned by a formerly-accused murderer with a candle burning brightly between them.

Kagome could get used to it.

To distract herself from that particular line of thought, she asked the only thing that would get Inuyasha talking. "Tell me about the break in the case."

Inuyasha's golden gaze finally landed on her, and it was oddly assessing for such a simple question. He looked her up and down, paused, and then shrugged. "The doctor was the start of it all. I have Miroku and Sango pulling everything they can from the casefile, but I have low hopes they'll get anything useful. They thought it was a fucking suicide."

"Didn't you say there was a note?" Kagome asked, remembering back to the morning when Inuyasha had reviewed it at the police station. "If there was a note, and it _looked _like a suicide—"

"Have you been paying attention to _anything _at these crime scenes?" Inuyasha asked. "The police go for the easiest answer every single time. How many times did I have to fucking repeat myself that Jinenji's murder wasn't a goddamn hate crime?"

Kagome sighed. "Okay, yes, you're right. _Again_."

"It's not about being right." Inuyasha growled a little, nails tapping on the table like he was struggling to pull the right words from the air. "I don't do this shit to be right. I'm not telling you to be right. It's—"

At his cut off, Kagome put her head in her hands to watch him. She knew exactly what he was trying to say. "It's just facts." Because that was all Inuyasha ever did. He was pointing out facts, finding them where no one else could. It was one of the reasons she was so fascinated by him, so enthralled with how he looked at a room or at a person and suddenly _knew_.

"Fucking _thank you_," Inuyasha grumbled out. He sat up a little when the guy with a mohawk approached their table, sliding two glasses of water on it.

Kagome watched as he eyed Inuyasha for a moment before smiling at her. "You must be the girlfriend."

Inuyasha growled, clearly irritated at having to repeat himself.

"I'm Hakkaku," the bartender said, completely ignoring whatever non-threat he thought Inuyasha to be. "Hopefully we see you again sometime. Nice to see a new face with his ugly mug!" And then, like he was never there at all, Hakkaku ran away back behind the bar.

Kagome blinked.

"They all suck here," Inuyasha grumbled. "I don't know why I fucking come."

"You picked the place," she reminded him, teasing.

Inuyasha's glare was extended to her. She grinned. "So if the doctor didn't kill himself, what do you think happened?"

"Can't make any decision on that, not until I see his house," the consulting detective stated. "But it makes sense that he treated Sara Asano. Dr. Suzuki was a half-breed specialist, working at the Hakushin Medical Centre."

The name struck a chord with her. Kagome tried to think about why. "That's really far south of the city, right?"

"Pretty much as south as you can be," Inuyasha replied. "Super industrial, kind of shitty."

The pieces finally clicked together, a grimace taking over her face as realization dawned. "It was one of the few places that did any sort of research for half-breeds."

"One of the few places that treated them, too," Inuyasha stated. There was nothing accusing in his tone but Kagome knew the extent of his thoughts on that, their discussion from early on in their acquaintance still fresh in her mind. "Dr. Suzuki was actually the lead there. He only had a small handful of patients; too busy running the damn thing and trying to keep it going with limited funding."

"I thought the city was putting money into it," Kagome said suddenly, remembering the news a long while back. "Some massive part of their plan to revitalize."

"The mayor always has a fucking revitalization plan," Inuyasha said. "Depends on if it ever actually happens. If half-breeds are what the centre focuses on, then the project will never get done. No one cares."

Kagome opened her mouth to say that _someone _cared, but she knew it wouldn't be taken all that well. She shrugged instead, feeling helpless. "Okay, so why would someone kill Dr. Suzuki and make it look like a murder?"

"That's what we need to find out," Inuyasha answered. "It's obvious that his death is what triggered Sara. She thought the suicide was suspicious and started digging. She found out something: either Dr. Suzuki and another person have proof of some sort of misdeed, or some other group found proof about his suicide being a farce—"

"Why another person?" Kagome cut in.

"The note," Inuyasha insisted, nails dancing along the wooden tabletop. "It said whatever proof _they _had was gone or hidden. Sara recruited Jinenji on the story and the two of them were trying to find it to bring the doctor's suicide to light."

"So whoever killed the doctor, killed Sara and Jinenji too, to stop them from digging." The words felt wrong as soon as they were out of her mouth, something tugging at the back of her mind. It didn't sound right. No, hadn't Sara's murder been— "But weren't we assuming that Sara's murder wasn't pre-meditated?"

There was a glint in Inuyasha's golden eyes, one that Kagome would do nearly anything to see again and again. He smirked, genuinely pleased. "That's a good question."

It hit her then, like a ton of bricks, what exactly that smirk meant. "You know." Inuyasha didn't do anything; he stared at her, waiting. Kagome couldn't believe it. "You know what happened."

"I have a _theory_," he corrected. "But it's mostly guesswork, too early to tell. I need to see the doctor's place."

How the _hell_— "I don't get it," she exclaimed, shaking her head. "If Sara was killed without it being planned, then what are the chances that it's the same killer? That doesn't—"

"Yes, it does," Inuyasha said, leaning forward over the table. His eyes shined. "_Think_, Kagome. Why was Sara killed?"

"Because she was searching for the truth," Kagome answered automatically. "She was digging. She was…" She tried pulling out words to help, to gather her with enough evidence to push through to whatever realization Inuyasha was demanding of her. "She was trying to—" _No_. No, Sara wasn't trying to do anything. She was _actively _chasing, searching, figuring out exactly what—

Kagome blinked. "She figured out why he was murdered, why Dr. Suzuki was dead."

It was only then that this smirk turned vicious, a sharp edge of delight. "And?"

"She approached the killer."

"That's one option. Good." Inuyasha leaned back in his chair, the only warning that someone was approaching their table. It was Ayame again, her hands holding a massive bowl of food. She seemed distracted so she didn't stay to chat, simply checking to ensure there was cutlery before vanishing back into the fold of the restaurant.

Kagome wasn't sure if she was hungry anymore.

"Eat," Inuyasha pressed. "You made us come all this way. Plus, you're crankier when you don't eat."

"I really didn't need to be insulted—"

"Most people are crankier when they don't eat," Inuyasha interrupted.

Kagome glared at him.

The consulting detective made a face and then sighed, putting his head in his hand to watch her. "Fine. Eat because I would prefer that you're healthy, or whatever."

"Better."

For a long while, they were mostly silent. Kagome focused on eating her food – and yes, after those first few bites she was _starving_ – while Inuyasha continued to watch other patrons of the restaurant. He kept his thoughts to himself, eyes wandering around and expression blank. If anything, he looked bored. In that moment, Kagome could see a little bit of his half-brother there but would never, ever say so out loud.

She was tired of the quiet, the closer she got to the end of her meal. She took a long sip of water before waving her fork in his direction. "What's the other option?"

Inuyasha blinked at her slowly, and then picked right back up from where they last left off. "Sara approached the killer, but by accident. She thought she was getting close to the answer, not realizing that she had walked into a lion's den."

Humming around the mouthful of food, Kagome considered. Both options were probable, though the latter seemed to make more sense. "I can't believe that she'd willingly walk right up to the killer and talk to them."

Inuyasha raised a brow. "No? She wanted to be a political activist. She was all about getting in people's faces with the truth of the half-breed reality. She was desperate to make a name for herself, to stop working her retail job and do something."

"How do you even know that?" Kagome exclaimed. "You never met her."

"Watch her social media videos," Inuyasha replied, bored. "Think back to her room, with all of the photos of her friends. Think about what she clearly prizes. It makes a hell of a lot more sense than you think." He tugged out his wallet, grabbing some cash and hiding it under her nearly finished bowl of food.

Kagome frowned at him, but Inuyasha was already getting up. "I need to talk to Ayame for a moment. I'll meet you outside?"

"What about?" she asked.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "It's not important and has nothing to do with the case. I won't be long."

Kagome pondered what exactly the two of them could be talking about before finishing up the last few bites of food and leaving. She assumed that that cash he hid would be more than enough, though with the crowd of people still lining at the door, Ayame clearly didn't hurt. She slid through the various couples and groups of friends, taking a deep breath once she reached the outside. There was a huddle of smokers just off to the side and another group of friends chatting on the other. Kagome sighed, not wanting to seem awkward in the middle of them all.

She headed towards the motorcycle, arms wrapped around herself as she thought about their conversation. Could it all be true? Could the doctor have been the start of it all, the catalyst for two other murders that were dipped into some larger conspiracy? Kagome shook her head, still trying to make sense of it. How did Inuyasha keep it all organized, all compartmentalized? With all of the facts and data and evidence in his brain, it was a miracle he didn't explode.

Kagome remembered when she was in med school, studying and working and studying some more. It had seemed back then that there was no possible way for her brain to get any fuller. There were so many things they were expected to learn, to _master. _And yet, now, consulting with him for these cases made that almost…pale, in comparison.

And the fact that Inuyasha had a theory was just—It blew her mind. There was no way. No possible way. She would drag it out of him, whether he wanted to tell her or not.

_I never guess_, she remembered him clearly saying, irritated and snapping at some officer or another.

If that was the case, then that meant there was a very real possibility that—

"Hello Doctor," a familiar voice taunted. It was soft and malicious, just like she remembered.

Kagome had only a second to whirl around to see behind her, to put a face to a voice, to figure out what—

Pain, excruciating pain stabbed through her skull and Kagome was out in an instant.

* * *

**Next Time on **_**Deductions:**_

"Oh, this is better than I thought," Inuyasha crowed, and he knew there was absolutely nothing kind in his smirk. "You're using her as a bargaining chip. Give her special treatment because you know I care. I proved it, didn't I? I'm _here_. You're not stupid, far from, despite the fact I hate you immensely. The only reason you'd offer to take care of Kagome is because you want to get on my good side. Why? Why would you do that? You hate me just as much as I hate you. That means one thing and one thing only:

"You need me."

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

NoYoureNotReal: I'm distinctly pleased with Sango in this story. Her and Miroku aren't exactly shining stars in the series since it's more of the Inuyasha and Kagome Show, but there's a lot more to come and there's a lot more they'll be involved in. Ohhhh you know this is all your fault, right? I love you for this, but my goodness there's going to be a part 2 because I can't stop and it's wonderful and I adore you but ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh :)

Bookish: Oh I'm so glad you to hear that, thank you darling! When I'm writing Inuyasha, I'm not writing him as a person with ASD but this is only because I would have wanted to do far more research and wanted to have several conversations to ensure I'm doing the character and the experience justice. My personal knowledge, I don't believe, is enough to do this competently. However, there are definite connections between the things Inuyasha does in this story and one of many possible things someone on the spectrum may experience. An example of this would be psychomotor agitation. None of this is to say, however, that he couldn't be seen that way if someone who has ASD relates him.

Stella: Haha if only I could add music clips. There could be so many possibilities! There is a ton more Sesshomaru to come. Even when I think Sesshomaru is useless, I bring him in to the story for no reason other than to just be there. So. Prepare yourself for more! Keichanz and Heavenin-Hell are also hugely favourite blogs of mine as well on tumblr! Both are absolute gems. You are incredibly sweet though, thank you so much, my dear!

Guest: I'm so glad you liked it! More will come in about…2-3 weeks. That's a good, rough estimate :)

Guest: He _definitely _notices her! It's just a bit different and probably sounds a hell of a lot less romantic (in the traditional sense). But trust me when I say this will not be a slow burn and we'll be getting some fun stuff soon enough! Thanks so much love.

Guest: Thank you so much, darling! So glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully this chapter was up to snuff.

* * *

**Feedback is love.**


	11. (10) Useless, Pointless

**Dedication:** To Wolfcry77, who I very much don't deserve. Happy birthday, my darling.

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 10: Useless, Pointless_

* * *

"Your girlfriend is cute." Ayame grinned at him, the same arrogant thing she had shown him years ago in a prison holding. It was entirely false bravado, something they both knew but didn't verbally acknowledge. It was better kept that way.

"She's not my girlfriend," Inuyasha corrected blithely, eyeing the front door Kagome disappeared out of. "But I don't have long. Did you get my text?"

Ayame nodded, the smile disappearing instantly. Her green eyes shone with something akin to anger, but her posture was completely relaxed. "Yeah, I got it."

"And?"

"And I'll see what I can do." Ayame shrugged. "I'm not in those circles anymore. You know that."

A chuckle escaped his lips, derisive and deprecating. "I know that no one ever really leaves _those circles_." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Remember, I'm the smart one."

Ayame blew out a breath, but the tension in her shoulders evaporated like smoke. She rolled her eyes. "And you're a dick."

Shrugging, Inuyasha checked the front door again. "Whatever. Just keep me in the loop."

"Like I would dare to not," Ayame grumbled, shoving at his shoulder. "Go already. Jeez, are you sure she's not your girlfriend?"

Inuyasha flipped her off, making sure to keep the hand gesture long enough to flash it at Ginta and Hakkaku. The two of them cheerfully mimicked it in return.

There were groups of people outside, humans and demons all gathered to smoke or chat. Inuyasha breathed in deep, ignoring the scent of tobacco for a far more familiar, welcome smell. He didn't need it, but he followed it all the same back towards the alley.

And then he heard a smack, so loud it was like a crack in the air. It wasn't though – rationally, Inuyasha knew that it wasn't – but his body couldn't make the distinction. He tore through the last few feet, rounding the corner to see a demon bending over Kagome, blood everywhere—

Inuyasha leapt.

His body had never forgotten. While his mind whirled and calculated, Inuyasha wrapped his arms around the offender and threw him off, kicking up just enough to rebalance on his toes. The demon grunted, thrown into a brick wall, so he advanced with claws extended. He wrapped his hand around the demon's throat, smashing him once again into the wall before landing a punch with his other arm.

"Who the _fuck _are you?" Inuyasha spat, body going through the motions. His arm was back again, forward, knuckles screaming as he caught the sharpness of the other demon's teeth to his fist.

The demon gasped but it was nothing, a diversion, and Inuyasha was suddenly kicked in the shin, hard enough for him to go down. He took another punch to the face before Inuyasha brought his hands up, covering himself just in time to take the brunt of another strike. He rolled, barely fast enough to get back up in time to stop a kick and use it to throw the demon off-balance.

"You must be Inuyasha," the demon taunted. Inuyasha lunged for him but he danced away, body arcing into the air until he was several feet away. "I don't see what all the fuss is about."

"How about you come a little closer and find out?" Inuyasha snarled, seething.

The demon laughed but it was strange. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes as he watched the attacker breathe, chest moving up and down without any stutters. His long, pinkish hair was pulled back but his face was mostly disguised by a mask. His eyes, an ice-cold blue, were glazed. "Until next time, Detective."

Inuyasha leapt into the air as fast as he could, body flying but just short as the demon attacker flipped back and scaled the building, disappearing. His blood was thrumming through his veins, desperate to fight, but his mind screamed at him for something different.

_Kagome_.

Fuck. Shitting _fuck_. Inuyasha growled before spinning around, crouching at Kagome's body. He could already see the rise and fall of her chest, but she was clearly unconscious. Who knew if there were any broken bones? Fishing out his cell phone, Inuyasha dialled Sango's number, eyes searching the rooftops nearby for anything. The attacker could come back, although the rational part of him thought it would be stupid to.

He didn't want to be rational. The realization made Inuyasha grimace.

With his free hand, Inuyasha brushed back her hair until he could press his fingers against her neck, feeling her pulse. It was steady, strong, and Inuyasha felt better for it.

"Shit," he muttered, just as the ringing switched to Sango's irritated huffs.

Maybe Sesshomaru had been right after all.

* * *

When Kagome woke up, Inuyasha was beyond irritated. With his one hand clenched around the bar of the stretcher, the other was pointing aggressively at the roof. "No, you fuck, he leapt up there! Check that fucking roof or I _swear on your pathetic goddamn_—"

There was a tiny intake of breath, but he had been listening for it the entire time, ears focused solely on her. He ignored the shouts of police officers at the scene, turning to face the woman lying confused on the stretcher. "You're fine," he said automatically.

Kagome frowned, blinking up at him slowly. She tried to get up but Inuyasha gently pressed her back down, noticing the way she winced at the effort. Definitely a headache, possibly a concussion. "Inuyasha?"

"You were attacked, but you're okay," Inuyasha stated. "Your safe from the attacker. From police stupidity, unfortunately, not so much. Everyone here is fucking idiotic. You missed some dumb shit earlier."

She seemed a little confused but that was to be expected. "Why was I attacked?"

"I don't know." He did know – or at least, he had some theories – but he could tell by the way her eyes tracked movement around him that it would barely process. "We're going to the hospital and then we're going to take this fucker down."

Paramedics started to load her into the vehicle, making Inuyasha twitch. He was torn between staying at the scene and making sure the cops didn't miss anything, or going with Kagome. His body was thrilling at the energy left over in his system, the desire to run and search almost overwhelming. The thing was, though, that this attack wasn't random. The attacker knew Inuyasha's name, which meant he knew about Kagome, too. He hadn't been bent over her prone body to help her back up. No, he had been there to kill her.

Another attack on her life, but days after the first one.

It made Inuyasha growl. Yet another thing that made no sense at all. Kagome had been on her own a few times and nothing had happened. It had been better to lay low because a secondary attack would look like an obvious killing.

No, something had to have changed. Something that made them _need _to take her out because she was too much of a risk now alive.

"Hey, we've canvassed the scene and Miroku's been taking statements." Sango's firm tone was enough to force Inuyasha into taking a breath. "No one saw anything, though a couple people did hear what sounded like fighting. Matches your statement."

"When have you ever known my statement to be wrong?" Inuyasha spat, unnecessarily mean. He could see the paramedic eyeing him impatiently. They needed to go.

"We still need to corroborate, no matter what you think." Sango scoffed. "She's fine, Inuyasha."

He glared at her, hands clenching into fists at his side. "For now, _Sango_. But not for much longer, not until I catch whoever the fuck is causing this." With a scowl, he made his way into the vehicle where Kagome was quietly talking with another paramedic. "Keep me in the loop or I will hunt you down."

Sango rolled her eyes at him.

Inuyasha growled again, barely stopping himself from flinching as the back doors shut loudly. He hated hospitals. He hated sitting and waiting and doing absolutely fucking nothing. He should be on the case, hunting down the fucker who did this—

"You're here."

Blinking down, Inuyasha forced himself to relax. Kagome was staring up at him with bleary eyes and a half-smile. It made his chest feel tight. "Of course I'm here. Where else would I be?"

The doctor's smile turned into a grin but she shrugged, knowing that whatever answer she gave would probably irritate him further. She wasn't wrong. It was scary, he decided, how well she knew him already.

No one had even gotten him before.

* * *

It took far longer than Inuyasha deemed necessary, but they were seen by a doctor who did a few preliminary tests and asked questions Kagome had long answered in the ambulance. Inuyasha had made the stupidity of this known several times, until Kagome hit at him weakly to stop.

"They'll kick you out," she warned him.

"The horror," Inuyasha replied, overly dramatic with an eyeroll.

Kagome stared at him for a second before shrugging. "Then I'll be alone for this."

The statement made the detective narrow his eyes, trying to tell just how much of it was genuine frankness and how much of it was manipulation. She had proven how well she knew him time and time again. Still, Inuyasha couldn't quite determine the truth with her exhaustion masking her tells.

In the end, he stayed silent. Inuyasha would leave the hospital with Kagome or not at all.

They were waiting for the results of a CT scan, stuck in a small waiting room with a handful of others. Inuyasha tried not to make his unhappiness known.

"I have to tell you something about the attack," Kagome mentioned suddenly, distracting him from his thoughts. "I don't know if you want to hear it now or not."

"Why the fuck wouldn't I?" he demanded, frowning.

Kagome stared at him for a second before shrugging. It had been an assessment, just like Inuyasha did all the time with her and everyone else in the near vicinity. She was becoming more observant, and while that was generally something Inuyasha would be pleased about, he didn't like that it was being done _on himself_. "The attacker greeted me before I was hit. He said 'hello doctor' and I recognized the voice."

"Who?"

"The burglar at Sakura Scientific. The one that said '_get the body_—'"

"–_And go, sixty seconds_," Inuyasha finished, feeling the rush from before at the crime scene pick back up again. His nails started to click against each other. "You're sure?"

"Positive."

Kagome wouldn't lie to him. Inuyasha stood up before sitting right back down, golden eyes hard. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I'm sorry, do I not have a head injury after being attacked?" she bit out. A few of the people waiting near them gave them suspicious glances. "It wasn't my first priority upon waking. I'm telling you _now_, aren't I?"

Inuyasha scowled but pressed further into the seat, thinking about their web and how this new information fit in.

"You can go, if you need to," Kagome told him, not even sounding upset or disappointed. She nudged against his shoulder. "Or at least go outside to call Sango and Miroku."

"I'm not leaving," he replied stubbornly, even though he itched to get up and do just that. "Sango is going to call me later; I can tell her then. It's not like this will do anything to help chase the killer down."

Kagome hummed. "Weird, though, isn't it? I mean, you called him a killer but out of our entire case, he's done a bit of everything: stolen a body, attempted to kill me twice, actually killed that reporter."

"And the doctor," Inuyasha added. "I just need to prove it."

"Think you'll see his house tomorrow?"

The thought made him scowl. "No. Miroku said the earliest would be Monday and that's if we're lucky. Fucking red tape, police shit."

"Do you think you'll find anything? Wasn't his death a while ago?"

His nails clacked louder. "There has to be something. We just need the right thread on this web. Pull it and the entire story will come apart. We'll find the person who killed Sara Asano, and we'll get his contract killer, and we'll put this to bed."

"As if anything you do is that simple."

Inuyasha closed his eyes for only a moment, feeling the growl build up in his chest. "Not fucking _now_, Sesshomaru."

Beside him, he felt Kagome tense and press closer to his side. It was a tiny movement, barely perceptible, but Inuyasha felt it like an earthquake had hit the hospital. "Why are you here?" she asked, tone wary.

"Because he's a jackass," Inuyasha replied immediately, glaring at his half-brother.

"Because when I saw him get into the ambulance, I was curious. The only times I have ever been able to get him to go to the hospital required sedation." Sesshomaru didn't hide the disdain from his tone, his golden eyes full of ice-cold steel.

"That's because I don't like being forced to go against my will," Inuyasha gritted out. "So now your curiosity has been fulfilled. Time for you to fuck off." One of the nearby patients coughed. Inuyasha bit back a growl.

"Interesting that you chose to bring her here rather than use the professional services of our own doctor," Sesshomaru stated blithely. He did a small turn around the waiting area, and Inuyasha didn't have to see his mask slip to know that he'd be disgusted.

"Right, because I'm just going to hand over Kagome's medical records to _you_." Inuyasha snorted. "Who do you take me for?"

"I'd get them anyways."

"At least making you have someone hack their way in requires a bit more effort." Sneering, Inuyasha made a shooing motion. "Now _fuck off_."

Sesshomaru rarely showed any kind of emotion; he had been like that ever since he was a child and Inuyasha remembered it, growing up. It hadn't been easy, but then again, nothing about growing up had been easy. In this moment however, in the hospital, if Sesshomaru could have sighed he would've. His half-brother ticked an eyebrow upwards before presenting his full attention on Kagome. "What happened?"

For a moment, she hesitated. Inuyasha knew that Kagome was unnecessarily kind, but Sesshomaru had threatened her and talked down to her. Everyone had a limit. Clearly, the strange circumstances and the odd question prompted the doctor to furrow her brow, slowly giving in. "I was attacked by some demon."

Sesshomaru made a humming sound before turning to Inuyasha. "Case related?"

"Why do you care?"

"I can provide assistance."

"You can fuck off, like I've asked you to twice now."

His half-brother did that non-sigh again. "If you've come to the hospital on your own volition then clearly this is important. Come upstairs with me."

"What?" Kagome asked. "Upstairs?"

"Sesshomaru has paid off everyone and likely made a sizeable donation to ensure you probably have a personal doctor and a room by yourself. Completely unnecessary given that we're waiting for the results of your test."

The doctor looked shocked. "What?" she repeated, voice weak.

Sesshomaru stared at Inuyasha, unimpressed. "As always, your world is exceedingly dramatic."

"Am I wrong?" he demanded.

His half-brother held out a hand to the side and immediately, Rin was there. Inuyasha honestly had no idea where she even came from. She was smiling at them all, making sure to step in close to Kagome to press a delicate hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry about what happened. I'm glad you're alright."

"Yeah," Kagome answered slowly. "Me too." She turned her gaze to Inuyasha and he could read the confusion in it. It didn't take a genius. Hell, Miroku would have been able to figure it out.

That meant he only had one option.

Inuyasha turned his gaze on his half-brother, narrowing his eyes. His nails started to click again, over and over on each other. There was a cough in the background, but he barely paid it any attention, too busy trying to read the mask that was Sesshomaru's face. "Let's be frank, shall we? You came here for two reasons and two reasons only. The first you freely admitted to, though it's a bit more skewed than you said. You were curious as to why I came, sure, but really you consider my presence here a sort of test. I hate hospitals, I refuse to go to hospitals. Ergo, my being in a hospital means that my relationship with Kagome is more legitimate than you thought. This irritates you greatly, and your irritation makes me feel fucking great. How am I doing so far?"

"Back to your _childish_—"

Inuyasha stood up abruptly, forcing Sesshomaru to either take a step back to keep a reasonable distance between them, or to stand firm despite the nearness. His half-brother didn't move. The closeness made him smirk, pleased, while Sesshomaru's façade slowly broke, chip by chip. "But it's the second reason you're here that's important. Feigning care of Kagome? Please. You don't give a fuck about her. In fact, I would have considered you a suspect had Kagome not just ruled you out entirely minutes ago. A quick assassination to tidy up the mess that is Inuyasha Taisho's life? It's a bit trashy, for you, but wraps up everything in a neat little bow."

Kagome sputtered out an _'excuse me?'_ behind him, but Inuyasha wasn't done. Oh no, he was far from done. The more he spoke, the more Sesshomaru gave away. Tiny ticks, little tells that only Inuyasha could drive him into as his annoying, pain-in-the-ass little half-brother.

"You offered special treatment," Inuyasha stated. "You only do that on three types of people: people you are forced to be related to, people you want to control, or people you want to kill. Kagome doesn't fit any of those boxes— _Yes_, Rin, I know I said he could have done it. But _could_ is different than _would_, and I would have ruled him out anyways. The point in all of this is that Sesshomaru knows he can't control Kagome; he tried and failed rather spectacularly. Tell me: what was it like being corrected by her?"

Sesshomaru frowned – barely visible, but there – and Inuyasha smirked wider in his victory. "Did you forget, _brother_?"

Before Sesshomaru could get a word in, Inuyasha stepped in closer, speaking louder. The patients around them all seemed to grumble but it was barely more than background noise, a buzzing of static to the real chase, the real prize.

"Oh, this is better than I thought," Inuyasha crowed, and he knew there was absolutely nothing kind in his smirk. "You're using her as a bargaining chip. Give her special treatment because you know I care. I proved it, didn't I? I'm _here_. You're not stupid, far from, despite the fact I hate you immensely. The only reason you'd offer to take care of Kagome is because you want to get on my good side. Why? Why would you do that? Our hatred goes back ways. That means one thing and one thing only:

"You _need_ me."

Sesshomaru stared at him. Whatever emotion had been there during Inuyasha's onslaught was gone, held behind a mask stronger than any kind of steel. "We're done here," he stated. He no longer sounded bored.

"Fuck you very much, too!" Inuyasha cheerfully replied, sitting back down. He even waved at Rin. "Enjoy his pissy mood the entire way back." He tapped his nails against the arm rest and resumed his thinking about the assassin, the one that had both burgled a dead body and attacked Kagome tonight.

Beside him, Kagome made a noise of question. "Maybe it's the concussion," she started, "but… What just happened?"

"Nothing important, that's for fucking sure." Inuyasha turned his head just in time to see her smile, and let himself be distracted by it for a whole four seconds before resuming his nail clicking. There had to be a better connection between it all, there _had _to be.

Inuyasha would find it, and he would find it soon.

_Who_, he thought, nearly wild with it. Who, who, who, _who_—

* * *

Sunday was a write-off. Inuyasha knew it. Kagome knew it. Miroku and Sango were both off and he wasn't allowed to go to the house of the doctor. Sango hadn't even given him the fucking address, probably because she knew he'd break in.

Sunday was the _worst_.

Slowly, he pulled out his father's sword from its sheath, listening to the sliding sound of steel before slamming it back in. Inuyasha repeated this action, over and over while he glared at the living room wall. Well, _walls _now. With Kagome stuck in bed, Inuyasha had decided to take everything down and put it back up again, hoping that something he had missed would jump out at him.

It shouldn't have been so hard, but all his brain could focus on was the missing piece of the puzzle: the doctor's fake suicide/actual murder. That _had _to be the key, but to what? What could would killing a doctor do, and what good would it be to make it look like a suicide?

Sword out. Sword in.

Sword out—

Murders made to look like suicides were generally done to throw police off of what should have been an obvious trail. Who _obviously _wanted the doctor dead?

Sword in.

Inuyasha growled, drawing the sword and waving it at the wall before him like he could intimidate the strings and pieces of paper into answers. "What am I missing?" he hissed.

He wasn't even a _revered _doctor. Dr. Suzuki was, if anything, a pest. Any and all news reports painted him as some kind of annoying squeaky wheel, blabbing on about half-breed rights and equal care. He ran his facility without flash or fanfare. He wasn't about the media. When the mayor had announced his plan to revitalize the area and provide state-of-the-art equipment and a remodeled building, the doctor had scoffed at it. He was probably worried for all of the corruption, for the types of men and women working in an area that already held so many vulnerable people.

That, or the doctor didn't believe it would ever get done. It wouldn't be the first promise the mayor had broken: the Arches a glaring red flag for election promises made and forgotten.

Maybe Dr. Suzuki had enemies, then. If he scoffed at politicians and public promises, then there had to be even more hidden from the limelight.

And what about the nature of the murders? All of them had been half-breeds, and while Dr. Suzuki was a full demon, he _clearly _stood up for half-breed rights.

Coincidence, or no? Inuyasha had been so sure it wasn't a hate crime, back at the scene of Jinenji's murder. What about now, though?

Sliding the sword back into its home, Inuyasha sat up from the couch and tossed it down. His shirt was next, and he grabbed a nearby hair elastic to tie back his locks as he approached his punching bag. Inuyasha knew he should wrap his hands before getting started.

He didn't.

Like the rhythmic movements of the sword, Inuyasha struck the bag with his fist. Once, twice, again and again. He started slow, brain aching to gain some sort of traction. The murders were a dead end – the _doctor _was a dead end, at least for now – so it whirled right on to the next one.

The next one being Kagome's attack.

His strikes landed faster.

Why attack her, _why now_? It made absolutely no sense. Had he misread the situation? He couldn't have. Kagome had been with him for the last few days and he would have noticed an attempt on her life. There hadn't been one, not since her apartment blew up. Trying to kill her right away only would have drawn attention to the whole case. Even with a week gone by, her death would have forced even the dumbest of police officers to draw a connection.

So why? _Why_?

There had to be some kind of trigger, something that forced their hand. Something that made her death a necessary evil, with whatever consequences to be dealt with. Inuyasha had seen the assassin leaning over her and at the time, Inuyasha had assumed they were going to murder her.

Maybe they were, but maybe they were grabbing her first. Maybe she would have simply gone missing. A payment to one of her old coworkers would have made it easy enough to fool officers into thinking she ran away, too horrified by her lies to stick around. A story filled with holes, but the police had nothing else. Inuyasha gritted his teeth, sweat dripping from his forehead.

These were simply theories, though. Useless thoughts. Not productive.

No, he needed to focus. What did he know? Kagome told him in the hospital that she had recognized the voice, connecting the man that had stolen the dead body with the person that attacked her at Ayame's. He had called her 'doctor,' but had he said anything else?

His knuckles stung, arms throbbing as he relentlessly attacked the bag, never ceasing just like the whirl of his thoughts. Another strike, another, just as his brain demanded _what else, what else did he say?_

He didn't know. Sesshomaru had interrupted them.

"Fuck," Inuyasha spat, pulling away. He didn't even bother to wipe at the sweat on his brow before jogging towards the stairs and leaping upwards, swinging himself over the railing to land in front of Kagome's bedroom door. He barged in, question already falling from his mouth. "What else did he say?"

Kagome startled, big brown eyes wide and confused as she processed the last few seconds. "What?"

"Your attacker," Inuyasha explained, burying down his irritation. He hated repeating himself.

"'Hello, doctor.' Then they hit me."

"He."

Kagome raised a brow. "Right. Fine, he."

"Anything else? Anything at all, anything whispered after he hit you or—"

"No, Inuyasha," she answered, shaking her head. "I was out instantly. If he said anything, I didn't hear it."

Well, there went that idea. "Fuck," he spat, pushing his hands into his hair, making it even more of a disaster. He didn't care. It was just Kagome around, and there were _murders _to deal with. Back downstairs, then. Back to the wall that refused to do anything but mock him and—

"Inuyasha?"

The detective spun around, facing her. He knew his expression was harsh so he attempted to school it into something tamer. There was nothing to be done about his voice though. "What?"

For a moment, he thought Kagome was going to say something. She was poised to, on the edge of some words that were going to be concerning. At that realization, Inuyasha frowned. One of her hands was fisted in the duvet, the other in a book. Her lips were in a grim line and her eyes traced down the lines of body, assessing not with heat but with a clinical coldness that only a doctor would do.

Oh.

How could he have been so dumb?

"I'll put on a shirt," he stated, already turning to leave.

"No!" Distress read in every line of her body. Inuyasha read the signs, though they were rather screaming at him. "Inuyasha, what happened?"

_She means the scars_. Well obviously she meant the scars. Inuyasha didn't know why his brain chose to provide him with that useless bit of information. In an effort to stall, he looked down at his own body, at the lines and ridges and pock marks, the traces of red skin that would never fully leave. Years had passed, and even more would have to fly by before some of them faded. Some would never fade at all.

Kagome shifted on the bed, reaching out to him. "Inuyasha."

Like a siren call, the detective found his steps heading towards her rather than away. He sat down in the empty space beside her, knowing that she could see his back, too, and the scars that marred him there as well. There wasn't a part of him that wasn't touched, except for the face. Not because it hadn't been attacked, but because there had been rules. Not good ones, but ones that made it easier to hide.

"What happened?" Kagome whispered, fingers dancing over his skin. She didn't touch him so the digits hovered there, waiting, flickering from one scar to the next and then the next.

"It's in the past," Inuyasha answered.

It wasn't good enough. He should have known an answer like that never would have been good enough for a doctor. "These weren't all at the same time," she murmured, ducking her head in to better examine him. Inuyasha couldn't help but watch, rapt. She still wouldn't touch him and his brain wondered _why_? "These are…claw marks."

Unable to stop himself, Inuyasha pressed closer, enough to break whatever barrier Kagome had been holding herself to. Her hands were cool, lightly held against heated and sweaty skin. Her thumb swept along the curve of a slice and Inuyasha held in a breath.

"Either you tell me," Kagome said quietly, "or you don't. But at least let me know that you're not going to."

Inuyasha knew better than to say anything. He had Sesshomaru's words drilled into his mind long ago. Still, he opened his mouth, answers tumbling out without consent or forethought. "It's hard to be in my head all the time," he started, each word carefully chosen. Kagome's dark brown eyes locked with his golden ones as she waited patiently for him to continue. "The only way to make the thoughts stop is to get my brain to focus wholly on something else."

"Like after a crime scene," Kagome murmured softly. "You going for a run, or speeding away on your motorcycle."

"It has to be high-adrenaline or it doesn't work." Inuyasha shrugged. "I've done a lot of stupid shit over the years."

"Like what?"

Inuyasha smirked and shook his head. "You'll be so pissed."

"I'm not surprised." Her hand swooped up his back, over his shoulder blade. He repressed a shiver. "For how long?"

Inuyasha shrugged again. "Always."

"Always?"

He levelled her with a glare for the repetition, but Kagome didn't rise to the bait. She eyed a particularly red dip in his skin, a hole. "When I was young, I didn't need the adrenaline. Just a challenge. Something to focus on. My mom made a game out of everything. It was like a never-ending series of tests. When she died—" He felt like all he could do was shrug, and it was so imprecise the action bothered him. But there were no words. There never had been. "I didn't handle it well."

"That's understandable," Kagome said. Her fingers danced down his arm. Inuyasha stared at them.

"That's what everyone says until they realize what I did." Inuyasha reached out, his hand covering hers before she could travel down the length of his forearm. He raised her fingers back up, back to the hole. "Sesshomaru cut me off at one point from the money. It's a lot harder to base jump or solo climb when you can't pay anyone to set it up, or pay to travel to the most dangerous locations for such things. But I'm smart as fuck, so I found things that paid _me_."

"Inuyasha," Kagome tried, but he shook his head, pressing her fingers into his skin.

"This is from a lance. Or, well, a demonic hand that turned into a lance that stabbed me." He dragged her fingers lower to an angry white scar that wrapped around the entire length of his forearm. "This is from a claw. Nearly sawed my arm off."

"What were you doing?" Kagome asked, voice no longer warm and easy. It was clinical, words being churned out without an emotional backdrop. This was the doctor side of her, the part that compartmentalized because it had to, to get a job done and think clearly.

"Fighting." Such a simple word for all of the consequences it had landed upon him. "Underground cage fighting. I was the only half-breed allowed. The odds stacked higher against me that way. More money to be made."

"They pitted you against demons." It wasn't a question but Inuyasha answered like it was one.

"The best they had. I ruined them all." He let go of her then, but Kagome gripped him tighter. She was scared of him leaving, he realized, taking in the jut of her chin and the tight lines around her eyes. "I made the owners a lot of money."

"But what about you?"

Inuyasha scowled at her. "What about me? Isn't it obvious?"

"What's obvious is that you were hurt severely multiple times," Kagome snapped, anger finally leeching into her tone. The doctor was finally gone. "How severe, Inuyasha?"

He glared at her.

"How severe?" she repeated. Her fingers dug into his skin.

"I don't like hospitals," Inuyasha answered begrudgingly. "That's why. Sesshomaru got involved which obviously made me _so happy_. Packed me up and shipped me off to here."

"And the fighting?" Kagome pressed.

"Not even a whisper of it in this city," he replied. "If there was, Sesshomaru ended them all long before they shoved me in the front door of 221B."

Kagome let out a long breath, considering, but the warmth of it danced along his skin. He considered the distance between them – negligible, it was always negligible – and felt himself sway towards her. He studied her hands, the way her gaze assessed and wondered in equal measure. What was it about her that made this so interesting?

He asked the first question that came to mind. "Why is that your favourite book?"

The doctor blinked at him, taken aback. "What?"

"_Jane Eyre_," he said. "It's a new copy, which makes sense. You lost nearly all of your belongings in the explosion. This could be a new book entirely, one you've never read before. You've certainly done nothing but read it all day, which suggests a sort of newness that drives you to keep going. _But_ you've got your fingers steepled in the pages. One for the page you're currently on, and another for the page you want to get to. Near the end of the book, but not quite. Probably the fan favourite scene where Rochester declares his love. Personally, I think the book is crap. Despite my opinion, you've clearly read it before, bought it again, and _therefore_ it's your favourite."

Kagome blinked at him again, frozen in time until she caught up and laughed. She shook her head, disbelief clear. "That's amazing," she told him, her amusement obvious in the tilt of her lips.

"You feel better, too," Inuyasha continued, watching her. "Headache is a dull throb, and you haven't been nauseated since Myoga brought you tea this morning. You're reading because you don't want to think about other things you should be doing, like calling your mom."

"I _could_ lie to her, say that nothing happened."

Inuyasha raised a brow. "You could, but you don't like doing that. And you've been doing enough of it already."

Letting out a long breath, Kagome tossed her book to the side before leaning forward. It was like her gaze was bottomless, dark and beseeching. "How do you always know?"

"The clues are everywhere; you just have to look." Inuyasha twisted, arm falling to the side of her lap to get a better angle. "People aren't hard to read."

"And yet you don't do well with people," Kagome chided.

"That's a choice."

"Not what Miroku keeps saying."

Inuyasha smirked and leaned a little closer. "I do well with you, don't I?"

That took the words from her mouth, leaving her lips parted, and Inuyasha wondered exactly what it would take to keep that focus of hers on him. She was always so close, always there, never in the way but _better_ somehow and he—

Her hand traced a pattern up his arm, one that he couldn't determine, _wouldn't determine_. Because there was something else he needed to learn, and it was clear to him now that this knowledge was imperative to moving forward. To determining if Kagome could keep his attention – all of his attention – without issuing a challenge at all.

"Inuyasha," Kagome murmured, "I think—"

Loud, incessant vibrations coming from her nightstand jolted them both. Inuyasha sat back, narrowed gaze latching on to the disruption. Who the _fuck _would be calling her now?

Sango.

Sango was calling her.

Inuyasha knew that number by heart. He growled, picking it up and answering. "This better be fucking good," he snapped.

There was a momentary pause before Sango's voice filled the line. "Uh, hello?"

What a stupidly inane thing to say. For fuck's sake. "What, Sango?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Isn't this Kagome's phone?" the detective asked, a hint of playfulness in her tone that Inuyasha was absolutely _not _having. Not now. Not ever. _Thanks to her_.

"She has a concussion and shouldn't be looking at her phone, _Detective_. Now what the fuck are you bothering her about?"

"I was actually trying to find you," Sango replied, ignoring his tone like she always did. "You weren't answering your own phone. Why was that?"

"I'm hanging up."

"No! Shit, no, Inuyasha. This is important." Sango sighed heavily. "Get some water and calm down, will you?"

Sango was both the smartest and _stupidest _person on the planet. With gritted teeth, Inuyasha stood up. Kagome was watching him in confusion, her eyes on her phone. "I need to deal with this."

The doctor must have figured that was the case, because she smiled and nodded, already reaching for her book. Her hands weren't on him anymore. Inuyasha hated that he noticed. "Let me know what's going on after?"

He nodded and left, not bothering with the stairs as he jumped towards the bottom. When he was sure Kagome was out of earshot, he hissed into the speaker, "I'm '_getting water_.' What a crap code to get me alone. This had better be good."

"I don't know what I interrupted, but this is important," Sango told him. "I paid a little visit to our vacationing diener."

Right. The adventures of Sakura Scientific were far from over. "And?"

"Clammed up so tight, I thought he was going to pass out from lack of oxygen." Sango sighed heavily. "I need you on this. I can't go back to them with nothing. I can't even go back to the Sarge with nothing. I have until tomorrow or this lead is going to be dead to us."

"Dead to _you_," Inuyasha corrected idly. He didn't fall under the political red tape bureaucratic bullshit. For a good reason, clearly. "Fine. Tomorrow then. Give me access to Dr. Suzuki's apartment."

If Sango sighed one more time, Inuyasha was going to hang up for real. "I can't do that, Inuyasha."

"What the fuck do you mean you can't do that?" he exclaimed. "What do you _do _all day then?"

"Hey," she snapped, "I came to you on my night-fucking-off because Kagome was attacked. I chased this fucking piece of shit _lackey _on my other day-off. I'm pulling every shift I can just to finish these fucking cases. Don't fuck with me, Inuyasha. I am doing everything I can."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to argue, but Sango beat him to the punch.

"Miroku is too." Groaning, Inuyasha smacked Kagome's cell phone against his forehead. "Look," she continued, "I don't know why you're pissed at him now but he is working just as much as I am. Okay? Tuesday I can promise you access to Dr. Suzuki's house."

"It better fucking be," Inuyasha snapped.

"Oh, fuck off," Sango replied before she hung up on him.

"_Oh, fuck off_," he poorly mimicked, irritated. Inuyasha's eyes fell back to the wall of information, instantly tracking over to the bit about Sakura Scientific. He had honestly hoped Sango would be able to crack it so he could focus his attention elsewhere. He should have known better.

Walking over, Inuyasha tapped the phone against a photo of Kagome, the one from her employee file at the lab. His golden eyes raked the lines between her, the two coworkers that evening, and her boss. Then her boss's boss. Somewhere between all of them was a unifying red thread that tracked across half of the wall to the very centre.

There, right in the middle, was a black icon of a spider.

Everything went back to them. Everything always went back to them.

"One thread to unravel them all," Inuyasha mused. He flopped back down on the couch, quick to grab the sword he left there and bring it around. He glanced at it, and then distractedly twisted to look back up at his stairs. They only led to one of two rooms: his and Kagome's. Inuyasha wasn't stupid enough to think he was momentarily distracted by thoughts of his _own_ bed.

Or. Well.

"Hey." Kagome popped her head out of the doorway, frowning down at him. She considered his position for a moment before treading down the stairs herself. "Everything okay?"

"Sango hit a dead end with Sakura Scientific," Inuyasha explained, absolutely not lying.

"Oh." The frown deepened and Kagome sat on the couch across from him, tucking her legs up. "What does that mean?"

"I need to do some more work," he grumbled in answer. "The usual."

He stared at the wall. He stared at it and stared at it, her cell phone tapping against his chin as he considered. There were just too many moving pieces.

"Want to talk me through it again?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha swivelled to look at her – to _really _look at her. She was relaxed, hair now tied up and pajamas still on. She, too, was considering the wall of information before them, as if what had happened upstairs hadn't happened at all. Inuyasha was smart; he could figure out what that all meant. What it could mean.

But there were murders to solve. A body to find.

"Yeah," he said slowly, making sure to keep the frown off of his face. For the first time in his entire life, Inuyasha willingly wondered about a useless, pointless thing. It didn't help the case. It didn't further his gain for knowledge or truth on a case. It certainly didn't raise any stakes.

But he wondered, all the same, what it would have been like to ignore the wall and focus on something else instead.

* * *

**Next Time on **_**Deductions:**_

What had happened Sunday night was something she hadn't even processed, really.

Maybe she had imagined it. Kagome thought it was a possibility, at least. There was no chance that Inuyasha was about to kiss her, up there in her room. There was no chance that he was going to press her into the mattress and deduce her every move with his lips brushing against her skin.

What would it have felt like, she wondered, to be that studied? To be that understood?

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

NoYoureNotReal: Hahaha honestly I'm so thankful for you. The fact that you can verify that what I'm writing is not totally wrong is completely endearing and wonderful. I would be lost without you! I ADORE YOU.

Questions: Wooooo, well I can't wait to hear your theories once you want to share. I've gotten a few through Tumblr and I know there are a ton more :) So glad you're enjoying this story, love. Thank you!

Mal: Omg yes a chapter missing would probably ruin everything hahaha. I am glad you're back and here and enjoying it! I hope you enjoyed the little Sess visit too. Apparently, I love writing him a little TOO much. You're the best, darling!

Irish Indy: You're oh so welcome! And I hope this chapter made the day a little better, too. We could all use some fun right now. This chapter was a lot more on the relationship and next chapter will be a lot more on the mystery (or _will it_?) anndddd I hope you like it all :)

Guest: It was only a matter of time before I did a cliffhanger for this story haha. Or, like, a serious cliffhanger. I'm too obsessed with them to not put at least one in a story. Hope you enjoyed this darling!

YangireSenpai: SO MUCH is about to go down. Next chapter will be SO MUCH INFORMATION. I hope you all like it. I'm sweating a little just at the thought because there will be _so many details _given next chapter and it's kind of make or break? Like all of you will either be like WOW WITCHY, GOOD JOB or you'll all be like WTF HOW DARE. THIS DUMB. So we'll see which way the wind blows and I'll just be screaming into a pillow until then.

* * *

**Feedback is love.**


	12. (11) Ruin

**Author's Note:** Four more chapters left, including this one.

**Warnings: **This chapter is rated M+ for smut, and there are also discussions of both suicide and murder. If you wish to avoid the smut, stop reading the moment they start kissing. The chapter will be over for you then. If you have any questions or concerns prior to reading, feel free to contact me.

* * *

**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 11: Ruin_

* * *

Kagome spent Monday mostly alone. Inuyasha had left before she had even woken up, a note taped to her morning tea from Myoga's café. It told her he was going to be out for most of the day and that she could text him if needed. She would be lying to herself if Kagome hadn't felt relief. Or, a little bit of relief. What had happened Sunday night was something she hadn't even processed, really.

Maybe she had imagined it. Kagome thought it was a possibility. There was no chance that Inuyasha was about to kiss her, up there in her room. There was no chance that he was going to press her into the mattress and deduce her every move with his lips brushing against her skin.

What would it have felt like, she wondered, to be that studied? To be that understood?

The problem with that train of thought was that it led to other suggestions. Suggestions about how accurate Inuyasha would be at everything else, because he knew her every breath and sigh and plea.

Kagome groaned and gently pressed her forehead to the cool countertop. This was so not happening.

* * *

"Wake up."

Kagome whimpered, but she knew that voice. Better yet, she knew that tone of voice. It matched almost perfectly with the way he would text her to annoy her into answering. Kagome figured she had another three seconds before he did what—

"Kagome, wake up. Wake up."

"It's early!" she grumbled, clutching her pillow tighter.

"It's seven." The disdain in his voice was a clear indicator on how he felt about _that_. "We have a fake suicide investigation to get to."

Right. Right, he was totally right. Kagome sighed and squeezed her eyes shut tighter. "Five minutes?"

"No." Without warning, the covers were suddenly yanked from her, pulled down in a wave of pique.

Kagome bolted upright, barely awake and now _incredibly _irritated. "What are you doing?" she shrieked. "I'm not properly dressed!"

"A bathing suit would show more," Inuyasha replied easily. Kagome could feel her cheeks heating up, because while that was certainly true, it still felt strange that he was able to see her in a big t-shirt and underwear and _that was it_. "I'll have breakfast ready," he told her then, gaze never once wavering from her face before he disappeared out her bedroom door.

"Oh no," Kagome muttered to herself, staring at the space he had once been. "Oh _no_, that is so not going to fly. Murder investigation or not, I am going to _kill him_—"

It didn't take much time to get ready. With her stuff moved in and organized, Kagome was heading down the stairs to the kitchen within twenty minutes, tying up her wet hair from the shower. As promised, there was a cup of tea and a paper bag filled with soft, warm croissants and a couple pastries. Myoga was clearly already gone but so was Inuyasha.

"Really?" she hissed, looking around. She knew he wouldn't leave without her, but there was a tiny part that wondered if the possibility was there. Remembering his desperately needed run after exploring Sara Asano's apartment, Kagome pondered if this was more of the same. At least living with him would open her eyes sooner, rather than later, to all of his quirks and antics.

The front door opened suddenly, making her jump. Inuyasha strode through with his head staring at his cell phone, a scowl on his face.

"I thought you'd be happy," Kagome commented casually, licking at a stray crumb she could feel at the corner of her mouth. "We're finally going to the doctor's house."

"Yeah," Inuyasha grumbled, glaring once more at his phone before sliding it into the pocket of his leather jacket. "A couple days late but who cares? Why solve a couple murders and a conspiracy?" The sarcasm was not lost on her, even at the early hour. "You good to go?"

Kagome hummed an affirmative as she shoved the last of the croissant in her mouth, grabbing a loaf of what looked like banana bread to go.

The consulting detective stared at her treat-filled hand, her face, and then sighed. "Five minutes."

He actually gave her seven.

Kagome thought that she was getting used to riding behind him on the motorcycle, the familiar feel of the rumbling engine and the wind whipping her hair. It was like no time had passed at all when Inuyasha slowed in front of a small house, his head already turned to consider it. The subdivision was quaint, part of an older area of the city. Everything was smaller, more old-fashioned, with screen doors and garden-lined walkways. Inuyasha killed the engine and the two of them climbed off.

Miroku and Sango were already there, though the female detective wasn't anywhere in sight. Miroku was sipping on a massive coffee, sunglasses on his face as he waved half-heartedly at them.

"Hung over?" Kagome asked Inuyasha quietly, concerned.

He snorted. "No, just overworking himself. He feels guilty for sleeping with Koharu when he's in love with Sango, so to make up for it—"

"Wait, _what_?"

Inuyasha blinked at her. "It's pretty obvious."

It wasn't a surprise when Kagome could feel her lips tug up into a smile. Of course it was obvious. "My mistake."

Rolling his eyes, he locked their helmets to the bike and tugged on his jacket. "Hardly a mistake. Why would you waste your time observing things of no actual value?" With that declaration, he spun on his heel and headed towards the house. Kagome followed, like she always did, still amused.

"Morning," Miroku croaked, looking extremely rough. The view from the street had been kind in comparison. Had he even slept in the last twenty-four hours? "You ready?"

"I've only been waiting since Saturday," Inuyasha groused. "What's the situation?"

Miroku sighed. "Dr. Tsukuyomaru Suzuki lived here for about six years. Alone. No other name on the mortgage. Neighbours only had nice things to say about him, though he was rarely seen. They all said he worked a lot. According to the initial police report, everyone was surprised that he had taken his own life."

"And what about the note?" Kagome asked. "Was it legitimate?"

"Sango's already trying to pull the evidence. Should be available end of the day today so we'll take a picture and send over a copy," Miroku confirmed. "To be clear, the only reason the house is still available to us is because the victim's brother hasn't had time to clear the place out and sell it. Most of it is in boxes and some stuff has already been removed. It's been a month, remember."

Inuyasha scowled but didn't argue. "How bad?"

It took a moment for Miroku to consider it. "Not great. You won't be happy but let's be honest, you would only be happy if it had remained completely untouched since he shot himself."

Kagome choked back a cough, trying to clear her throat in distraction. Inuyasha spared her a glance before exhaling loudly.

"How much has been moved out?"

"Only the kitchen and the living room. The rest is in some state of boxes."

Inuyasha nodded. "Sango inside?"

"Yeah," Miroku replied, shifting so that the consulting detective could move around him to step inside the house. Kagome gave him a consoling pat on the shoulder before following. The place was pretty dark, even with the lights on. It took a moment for her to adjust, blindly keeping up with Inuyasha's retreating back as they moved further into the house. As promised, a lot of the main rooms were cleared, only scattered boxes and pieces of furniture around. A large painting, dusty as anything, hung crookedly on a far wall. Sango was in the living room, phone in hand as she stood in the centre.

"Here?" Inuyasha asked, without context.

Kagome was impressed with their working relationship, because the detective didn't even blink. She simply raised a brow at him and then gestured towards the far window. "There was a recliner over there, according to the report. That's where."

Inuyasha grunted, eyeing it critically. Any blood splatter and chemical stains were long gone, but that had to be what they were talking about. A suicide, only Inuyasha thought it wasn't.

Kagome trailed him as he immediately started down one of the hallways. One room was nothing more than some shelves and books. A pile of boxes sat in the middle but Inuyasha barely glanced at them. He scanned the shelves quickly, efficiently, before making his way back out within a minute. Kagome had no idea what he had gathered in that time; knowing him, it was far more than she could possibly imagine. All she'd been able to catch was a handful of popular sci-fi books that she only vaguely recognized. She doubted they meant anything.

The next room appeared to be the master bedroom. It was much larger, and it was also significantly less packed up. The mattress was bare and furniture was shoved into a corner, but items were still sprawled everywhere on the surfaces. Inuyasha beelined towards the cluster, hands touching the desk and dragging it out.

"Think anything is in there?" Kagome asked, breaking the quiet.

Inuyasha grunted, neither negative or affirmative. "Unless it's been cleaned out. But Suzuki didn't have an office, so this desk is probably where he kept all his shit. See this? Part of the desk is faded from the sun, but there's an L-shape here. Something rectangular was on here."

"A laptop," she realized, even though Inuyasha clearly knew.

He nodded anyways, gazing at her with something akin to approval before returning his attention to the task. "Likely personal. Patient confidentiality means that files couldn't be brought from work, but he likely did some things at home. Which means there's a laptop somewhere."

Kagome instantly headed towards the boxes, opening the top one and peering inside. It didn't appear to be anything but linens, though she started digging anyways. "Maybe the brother took it?"

"Maybe," Inuyasha conceded. He sounded particularly unhappy about it. Kagome wasn't paying attention to what he was doing, but there was more dragging so she assumed he was moving more furniture. It didn't make sense _why _he was doing it, but Kagome wasn't there to particularly question so she focused on her own task. The first box held nothing of importance that she could see, so she moved on to the other, and then the other. It was the fourth box in which Kagome found a silver, old-looking laptop, nestled carefully on top of what looked like a bunch of files and loose pieces of paper.

"Found it," she announced, immediately flipping it up and pressing the 'on' button. She placed it on the bare mattress, finally taking a look around and realizing that Inuyasha had…

Rearranged all of the furniture around the room.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"What do you think?"

Kagome pressed her lips together, but it wasn't too hard to figure out. Inuyasha simply wanted her to do the heavy lifting. "You're putting the furniture back to where it was originally."

"Exactly."

"Why?"

Inuyasha turned to smirk at her. "_That's _a good question." He stared at the floor then for a moment before nudging an armoire over another inch. Kagome remembered in that moment just how strong he was. "Suzuki spent most of his time in here. He was a workaholic and worked impossibly long shifts where no one on his street saw him. That means his coming-and-going was always during the early morning or late hours. It makes sense that he would want to come back, have a shower, and then do work in bed. There's no chair in here, so obviously he worked in bed."

Kagome hadn't even noticed there wasn't a chair. "What does any of this tell us?"

"Maybe nothing," Inuyasha conceded. "But it's far easier to see the big picture when you're looking at the _right _picture. Anything on the laptop?"

"It's still loading," she answered, sitting down on the mattress. "It's pretty old."

"No need to get a new one, and probably not a ton of disposable income either," Inuyasha mused. He came right up to her, golden eyes assessing her spot and then a foot away, where the headboard was. "Move over."

"What?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and Kagome, having processed what he said, did it anyways. She placed the laptop between them and he instantly took it to put on his lap. It was mostly booted up so he instantly went to one of the icons on the bottom bar. It led to an inbox and Inuyasha smirked while it opened, not requiring a password.

The laptop was a goldmine of information. Kagome watched as Inuyasha flitted from email to email, going through different folders. It appeared that Dr. Suzuki was getting a lot of flack from the board that owned the medical centre for not expanding research and specializations. Dr. Suzuki was very adamant that he would continue to work on half-breed care, and any issues could be taken up with him face-to-face with some media involvement. The responding emails were placating, though overly corporate and polite.

There were other emails too, a few scattered friends and some research proposals as well from what looked like students. Inuyasha had her review them but nothing stood out as suspicious, especially with where their investigation was concerned.

"It fits with his profile," Inuyasha stated into the silence, leaning back against the headboard. His gaze was focused on the blank wall in front of them. "He clearly had strong opinions about half-breed care. Anyone that pushed a different agenda received immediate backlash from him."

"Was it enough to kill him, you think?" Kagome asked, frowning.

"Anything can be reason enough for murder," Inuyasha answered easily, but his brow furrowed. "There were seven people CC'd on that email, which means at least seven board members. Forward me that email. We'll have to investigate."

Kagome did so, though it took forever to send, the computer freezing. She sighed, impatient, and clicked the button another couple of times irrationally. Eventually the email sent, but then the computer froze once more. It took an agonizing minute before it finally came back, but her button-pressing had led to the calendar opening. Surprisingly, it was pretty well-used for a personal account. There were a few things listed for the month, all of them seemingly coffee meetings midday. There was one that stood out however, a block of time that fell over the dinner hour.

"That," Inuyasha said, and Kagome knew him well enough to hear the traces of excitement in his tone. "The 30th."

Kagome opened the event, though there was absolutely no information. The title of it read 'BLOCK,' from six o'clock until midnight. There were no emails or people associated with the event, and no location or invite link either. It was just a title and time, nothing more.

Or, at least nothing more to her. Inuyasha had leapt off of the bed like it was on fire, rounding the mattress like he was being chased by a ghost. Kagome was so startled that she threw the laptop to the side, struggling to get up herself. "Inuyasha? What the hell—?"

"Small chance," Inuyasha replied nonsensically, silver hair twisting back and forth as the consulting detective shook his head. The commotion was enough to bring Sango inside of the room, eyebrow raising for a second at Kagome on the mattress before she took in the sight of Inuyasha.

"Is he okay?"

"Fuck off," he spat, but there wasn't any heat. It was much too excited, too shaky with thoughts undoubtedly whirling in his head. His hands grasped at a jewelry box still sitting on one of the dressers he moved, hands opening and closing tiny drawers while barely looking. "I should have noticed it immediately. _Stupid_."

"What's stupid?" Kagome asked.

"This is _clearly _a woman's jewelry box," he exclaimed. "Look at it! The drawers!"

"Men have jewelry boxes too," Sango pointed out, but Inuyasha only scoffed at her.

"The lines, the design of it – purely female. I mean, a guy could buy it too, do whatever the fuck you want. But this doesn't even match the _furniture_. It has high sides, sideways openings – clearly for necklaces. Most men's jewelry boxes don't have shit for that."

Kagome was pretty sure none of what he was saying made any sense. "What does it—" But her question never came to light because Inuyasha grunted then and tossed the small bottom drawer onto the mattress. It was a selection of rings, all female. "So he had a girlfriend?"

"And an anniversary on the _thirtieth_," Inuyasha told her, like that meant absolutely anything at all. He pointed at the row of rings. "Look!"

He turned around to go back to the dresser, grabbing something else. With a frown, Kagome crawled over to better see. There were, in fact, a selection of rings – some sterling silver, others gold or plated. None of them were particularly fancy, though beautiful in their own simple way. There was one missing, however, on the centre bottom row. The row that would have had the greatest access, which meant the ring that the woman would have worn the most. Inuyasha was on her in the second though, grabbing her hand and flipping her palm until it was outstretched. He dropped something into it.

It was another ring, but this one was clearly meant for a man. The band was thick, silver, and there were tiny, baby emeralds in a line of seven at the very centre of it.

Inuyasha laughed, and it was so bizarre Kagome actually had to stare up at him in wonder. Nothing about the laugh was carefree, but it was wild, manic, and unerringly _him_. "Who fucking _knew_?" he asked no one, before turning around and leaving the room. "Miroku! Miroku get your fucking ass in here _right this second_."

"Do you have—"

But Sango was already shaking her head, at a complete loss. "What did you do?"

"Me?" Kagome asked. "How could I have done anything?"

"I figured if someone broke him, it was probably you," Sango stated easily. She smiled though, like this was somehow a compliment.

There was no time to dig further into _that_ because Inuyasha came back into the room like a tornado, silver hair flying as he dragged a very tired-looking Miroku behind him by the wrist. Inuyasha pointed aggressively at the ring in Kagome's hand. "Look!"

The detective already looked offended at the fact that he'd been dragged. Now, his blue-eyed glare focused on Inuyasha until he gave in, taking in the ring sitting in Kagome's palm. It took a moment and Kagome could swear she saw Inuyasha _vibrating _in his spot, waiting with some sort of patience he never before had. What had he discovered that was so important? That Miroku had to see first before Inuyasha's genius was announced to the rest of them?

Then, Miroku frowned. "That looks—"

"It is!" Inuyasha interrupted immediately, actually _leaping _into the air so that he avoided the crowded corner of them huddled in the room, now standing beside Kagome. "This is it! The matching fucking ring! June 30th, 2017. That was the date."

"The date on the ring at…" Miroku shook his head. "At the fucking auto shop? The one with no blood?"

"There was tons of blood and you _know it_," Inuyasha accused. "Trikelchlorite is a dead giveaway and fuck your captain for thinking otherwise."

"Wait!" Sango yelled, hands outstretched like a referee calling off a play. "What the hell is going on?"

"Remember that missing woman we had about a month back?" Miroku asked. "You weren't there because we were on staggered shifts after the whole Yu debacle."

Sango frowned, considering. "The one that Inuyasha had a crazy-ass conspiracy for."

"Not a conspiracy," Inuyasha cut in. He pointed at the ring. "So go ahead and fuck _both of you_."

Kagome shot him an incredulous glare.

"What?" Inuyasha mumbled. "I'm right."

"Apparently, he is. Or it has more weight, anyways." Miroku sighed. "How does it connect?"

"Suzuki's calendar," Inuyasha stated. "The evening is blocked off."

Miroku scoffed loudly, looking exasperated to no end. "For fuck's sake, that can't be it."

"Inuyasha," Sango tried, but it was the consulting detective's turn to sigh heavily, annoyed.

"Are you fucking serious? It's obvious. Dr. Suzuki was the catalyst for this entire thing. It's his death that leads to Sara Asano becoming suspicious and Jinenji Egawa getting roped in to help her find the truth. Sara Asano is then murdered by a moron, as evidenced because she was put in a dumpster only for her body to then be stolen from a lab with the best team of hackers, runners and an inside source that money can buy. A moron doesn't cover up their mistakes that fast and that well, which means that there is someone else behind the scenes helping our moronic killer out. Maybe Sara let slip she had gone to the media, or the mastermind behind the scenes realized she had been working with Jinenji. Regardless, he's a loose end so he's killed efficiently and effectively. I _told_ you at the crime scene that Jinenji's death was a hit, not some random murder. Not a hate crime. So tell me, the both of you, what does this say about Dr. Suzuki's death if he's the reason this all started?"

"That it's worth investigating," Sango replied. Her arms crossed, posture tense. She never seemed to like it when Inuyasha talked down to them. That was only fair, Kagome thought.

"Exactly." Inuyasha gave her a smirk, as if that was a reward. "We have one untrained murderer, one highly-trained burglar, and one highly-trained hitman. Outside of these crimes, Kagome was almost blown up in a 'gas explosion' and attacked in an alleyway. I fought the fucker. He was definitely a hired killer. Kagome also places _him _– her attacker – as the man who took the body from Sakura Scientific. Same voice."

"What?" Sango asked. "When did you find that out?"

"Sunday."

"Sunday?" she screeched.

Miroku groaned. "So that means the person who stole Sara Asano's body, who killed Jinenji and who attacked Kagome are the same person."

"Which means that Dr. Suzuki…" He waved his hands, glaring at Miroku.

The detective sighed. "That his suicide was probably not a suicide."

"And?"

Sango glowered. "Get to the point, Inuyasha."

"Other than one fuck-up, this has all been rather smooth, hasn't it? Nothing in the news? Fuck, a reporter has died and they called it a tragic _circumstance of life_. I mean I know he's a half-breed but wake the _fuck up _people." Inuyasha shook his head roughly, taking a deep breath before scowling it out. "It's rare that extreme morons can pull off a fucking fake suicide. I know that, and I assume you fucking somewhat capable detectives know that, too. So if this is faked, and faked well, what does _that mean_?"

She'd been following along the whole time, so it was simple for Kagome to simply say, "The hitman killed Suzuki, too." Sango's voice petered out from when she started, and all of them stared at her.

Inuyasha's smirk turned to her, and those deadly intent eyes didn't turn away. "_Very _good."

Kagome bit her lip to stop from flushing.

"Still doesn't explain the connection to our missing woman," Miroku chirped in then, still sounding tired.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Like I said, I saw Suzuki's calendar. The date is the same date on the ring we found at the scene and – if you think long and hard – you'll remember what I said."

"And what was that?" Sango demanded before Miroku could even open his mouth.

"The woman was killed by a hired assassin." Inuyasha smirked. "Coincidence? Un-_fucking_-likely."

"Christ," Miroku grumbled, "but what about the timeline? Didn't Suzuki die on May 3rd? We weren't at the auto shop until around mid-May."

"Killed Suzuki first, and then his girlfriend?" Sango suggested.

"Or we just found the girlfriend's body late. But the real question is: why the girlfriend at all?" Inuyasha asked, more to himself than the room at large. Instead of giving any further insight, the ring in her hand was taken by him, and he inspected it with shrewd, golden eyes. "Oh."

"Oh?" Kagome asked. "Are you seeing the inscription?"

Miroku came closer as well. "Is it the date again?"

"No," Inuyasha murmured. He dropped the ring back down into Kagome's palm and glowered at the wall. "No, it doesn't." He disappeared from the room then.

Sango let out an explosive sigh. "Seriously?"

"What does it say?" Miroku pressed.

Kagome twisted the ring once more so she could read it out loud. "It says _Elizabeth_."

That had all three of them frowning in confused silence.

"What the hell?" Sango asked, followed by the sound of crashing in the other room. All three of them got up immediately and headed towards it, Kagome with the ring clutched tight in her hand. It was pretty obvious what had happened when they entered the living room: the sole painting on the wall was tossed to the floor uncaringly, a chip of the frame at the other end of the room.

Kagome opened her mouth to say something about _that _when she realized Inuyasha was staring at the wall. No, not the wall. A _safe_. One that was mounted flawlessly within the drywall, that had been hidden by the giant painting in the room.

"Who the fuck leaves a painting up when packing a house where every other painting and photo has been taken down?" Inuyasha asked no one, his face going closer and closer to the keypad of the safe. "Someone who is hiding something _behind _said painting. The brother didn't know about it, found it, couldn't crack it, and then put the painting back up in a hurried rush, probably because other people were helping him to pack. Hence why it was so crooked."

"I don't even want to ask," Miroku muttered under his breath.

Inuyasha continued as if he didn't hear anything. "We thought the date in the ring we found at the auto shop was an anniversary date or a birthdate or something. Could still be, I guess." He shrugged, turning away from the safe to stare at them. "But his matching ring, the one that comes in a paired set, has the word _Elizabeth_. Which makes zero sense unless—"

"It's some sort of code," Sango stated, surprise tinging her voice.

"There was nothing in his closet and nothing on the walls in his bedroom, so the safe couldn't be there." Inuyasha waved dismissively at the wall. "Wasn't hard to find once I knew to look for it."

"It could have been a code for anything," Kagome pointed out, but Inuyasha only raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'll call a safecracker," Miroku said then, pausing in his grab for his phone only when Inuyasha shook his head.

"It's okay. We know the password."

"Elizabeth?" Sango asked, frowning.

Inuyasha looked despairing for all of a moment before Kagome got it, the number pad obvious. "063017, or whatever variation of the date was on the woman's ring."

"There we go," the consulting detective said, before turning back to the safe. He pressed the buttons – year first, Kagome noticed – and then the safe clicked and opened before them. Inside was a simple external hard drive, all black and in what looked like brand new condition. Inuyasha looked at it for a moment before he tossed it recklessly into Sango's unprepared hands. "Think you can push through all the bullshit red tape to figure out what's on this fucker ASAP?"

* * *

Kagome listened to Inuyasha all the way from the underground parking garage to their shared apartment. He was going off, words falling from his lips endlessly as he considered the new possibilities. She only understood about a half of what was going on, primarily because she wasn't around when they found the initial body, the body of Dr. Suzuki's mystery woman.

"There isn't much to learn," Inuyasha told her, shaking his head with a scowl. "I did all the heavy lifting only for the police to fuck it up again with their crap."

This was a common complaint so she waited, sitting down on the leather couch in the living room so Inuyasha could pace in front of their wall of murder. Or mystery. Kagome wasn't sure, considering a large part of it was the burglary of Sara Asano's body from Sakura Scientific.

"On May 9th, I was called to the scene to help Miroku with an investigation. No one thought it was anything particularly suspicious but the scene was covered in trikelchlorite."

"Isn't that a bleach?"

"And undetectable to demons, unless they have a nose for it or a very strong sense of smell. By chance, one of the cops had been doing a favour under the table for a friend, after they saw some suspicious activity. He checked it out and smelled the trikelchlorite, and then he had to call it in for real. I showed up and long story short, I was able to pinpoint that the murder was in fact an exsanguination, that a woman had been tortured there for whatever reason. Possibly accidental but we could never find her body so no autopsy could be done. I figured she was dumped in the water, but a body still hasn't shown up."

Kagome hummed. "Did the person who first saw the suspicious activity see anything?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, at what, she couldn't say for sure. "We can't find him. It's a homeless man by the name of Totosai. Remember when we went to the Arches?"

"Yeah," Kagome replied, "and we met that guy. Mimi…"

"Mimisenrei," Inuyasha supplied. "When I slipped him the paper and the money? That's what it was for. I've been trying to track this Totosai down the whole time. I hate fucking cold cases. None of my other usual methods were helping so it was worth a shot."

Kagome shook her head. At the time, she had noticed him do it but never really thought twice about why. "Have you ever had any cases do that? Go cold?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Not really."

That wasn't an answer, but Inuyasha had whirled back to the wall and its collage. She knew it wasn't the best time to ask. Instead, she tried to grasp onto their last point of the mystery, getting them back on track. "Did you learn anything else in Dr. Suzuki's house?"

"No," Inuyasha grunted, shaking his head. "Tomorrow I'll go over the evidence from the scene, see the note. I'm hoping for clues there. Sango says their officers are combing through his belongings to see if we can find anything else on our mystery woman. I'll make sure Miroku gives you the files on her case. We also have a meeting set up with the Director of Economic Development at the City of Hakurei tomorrow."

"What?" Kagome asked, confused. "Since when?"

"Since I made Sango book it for us yesterday."

Even though that was all she technically asked, Kagome needed a little more than that. "Why?"

"Think," he answered, sparing her a glance before turning back to the wall. "Who has been Dr. Suzuki's biggest annoyance? Who would want him out of the picture?"

That way led to a whole array of issues. Scrunching her nose, Kagome looked up at him. "Seriously? You think someone at the City had him killed? I thought we were talking about his board of directors, or something."

"Could be them," Inuyasha replied easily enough. "But there are at least seven of them and it'll take a shit-load of time having individual interviews. Best to go straight to the source of where these difficulties are coming from."

"The City wants to make the Hakushin Medical Centre part of their revitalization program, but Dr. Suzuki kept pushing back because they wanted to focus on issues not related to half-breed care."

"The mayor's special project," Inuyasha murmured, idly, like he was barely paying attention. His fingers were tracing a line of red string on the wall, closing in on that picture of a spider he had hung up. "The project is being managed by their director of economic development, Ruri Shiima, so we'll go and have a little chat. If anything, maybe she could point out her biggest supporters from the board. Maybe who's the angriest with Dr. Suzuki."

"What I don't get," Kagome said then with a huff, "is if they were so unhappy with him, why not just fire him? Sure, he could bring bad publicity but if the City is involved, they have money for that kind of thing."

"Ah yes, the spin stories they craft." Inuyasha nodded. "That's a good question. I'm hoping whatever is on that drive we found can answer it."

"It'd have to be some kind of blackmail," she continued to examine, leaning back into the couch.

Inuyasha paused then, a sort of frozen that Kagome wasn't used to seeing from him. It broke a second later, his body back to movement as he crossed the room in just a few strides and bent down to grab her shoulders. "_Yes_."

Kagome was pretty sure that whatever she said wasn't a revelation to Inuyasha; he was far too smart for that. But he was hauling her up to standing, nearly dragging her to a section of the wall that focused on Sara Asano. He pointed to the note that was found, the one that Jinenji had written for her.

_Can't find any proof. Whatever they had is gone or hidden._

"Jinenji clearly wouldn't have found the safe," Inuyasha stated, golden eyes searching the wall. "Makes sense. He wouldn't have been able to get into the house. But you're right, this is definitely the blackmail. This is definitely what they were looking for, what Dr. Suzuki had alluded to Sara Asano to make her suspicious in the first place."

"Okay," Kagome started, confused, "but why is this so great?"

"Because there's _more_." Inuyasha instantly turned and headed for the kitchen, his nails clicking along the tabletop the second he got there. He was viewing the collage on the wall from further away. "There's a second ring."

"You mean Dr. Suzuki's ring."

"Exactly. Our missing woman had a ring to remind herself of Dr. Suzuki's safe code, just in case anything happened."

"So _Elizabeth _is a code for a safe that she probably has, or something digital." Kagome grinned, pleased by even this tiny tidbit of news. It was something new, something figured out by working together and going back and forth. It wasn't the first time, but for some reason this felt different.

"Could be a laptop password," Inuyasha mused. "Could be a clue to something else. We need to find out who the fuck she is and where she lives. Maybe the evidence wasn't destroyed."

"Miroku and Sango are on it. They have their team on it," Kagome reminded him gently, moving to join him in the kitchen. She leaned on the counter, just like he was, staring at the wall to try and see what he saw. "We'll find something out now that you've connected them."

Inuyasha scowled. "Still feels like one step forward and then five back, the more I think about it. How the fuck are we going to solve anything if the case keeps throwing shit at us constantly?"

She nudged his shoulder. "You'll figure it out."

"But will I figure it out in time?" Inuyasha pressed, glaring daggers at the wall. "This time, it's not me versus some criminal."

It didn't take a lot to realize he was referring to the image of the spider, dead centre in the wall with all the strings connecting it. Still, she had to know. "How is it different?"

Inuyasha grunted, but his lips pursed and he didn't answer. Kagome watched him, waiting patiently. It didn't take long before he glanced at her quickly before turning back away, scowling harder. When she didn't go away, didn't turn around or leave his space, he huffed. "Really? You're distracting me."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Yes, but you're _distracting me_."

Kagome raised a brow at him, doubting that entirely. "I'm pretty sure you can work through it."

Now, he was looking at her. Now, those big golden orbs were staring into what felt like her soul. This felt so familiar and it only took a second for Kagome to associate it with their close moment in her bedroom on Sunday. The way he was curled around her, his hands on either side of her. The way he leaned in and challenged her with words that Kagome wanted to rise up to, wanted to take in and use and put out into the world if only to make Inuyasha give her that _look_. That _good job _look, that _exactly _look.

"You are," Inuyasha started, voice low and rough and making Kagome lose her breath, "the worst kind of distraction. _Thank god_."

One second disappeared like the snap of fingers, and Kagome was lost to it. Because in one moment, she was still staring at him, watching him and mesmerized. The next, his lips were on hers, insistent and hot and _fuck_, those were hands on her hips, spinning her around on the counter so he could crowd up close. This was a battle and one Kagome was willing to lose near immediately. Her arms wrapped around his neck, coiling in his long hair and making it a mess. Gripping him tightly wasn't even _close _to the feeling of the way he was consuming her, not just with arms but with his lips, his teeth, his hips slotting against hers and god, _god_ the implications of that—

"Don't seem like the worst," Kagome panted when their lips parted for the barest of moments. Inuyasha teased her lips back apart, his tongue exploring until she curled her own around it, making it impossible for either of them to speak. Kagome wasn't unused to kissing and certainly wasn't a virgin. But this – the way he held her, kissed her, _used her_ – was like a first time all on its own. Never had she felt so hot, like her skin was seconds away from sliding off the heat of her.

And that was _before _he picked her up like she weighed nothing, placing her down on the counter. Kagome gasped, taken by surprise, and Inuyasha wasted no time in using the separation to strip off her shirt. The fabric was over her head before she even realized what has happening, only for it to be discarded to the floor dismissively while he bit at her neck.

"Oh god," she keened, a little too breathless and a lot high-pitched. This was crazy. This was insane. Inuyasha was her work partner and her roommate and her only source of income and— "_Wait_," she said suddenly, hands touching his chest. She didn't push, if only because Kagome's brain and her body were on two very different wavelengths. Her thighs actually tightened around his hips, as if him going somewhere would be the end of the world.

Inuyasha stopped instantly though, big eyes staring at her for a second before narrowing. "You're worried."

"This is _crazy_," Kagome told him, in case the thought hadn't crossed his mind. "Absolutely crazy."

He frowned at her like this was a terrible reason for stopping. It was, her brain helpfully supplied. Her hands slid down his chest of their own volition and yes, yeah, they were absolutely tugging at the end of his shirt. Inuyasha stared down for a moment before once more taking in her undoubtedly flushed face. "Do you want to stop?"

Oh god, Kagome liked him a hell of a lot. _A lot_, a lot. Too much. This was insane. She was insane. This was _exactly _what her mother warned her about and—

_Fuck it_, she thought. Everything else in her life these past few days had been a whirlwind. Why not this, too? She groaned out loud, the implications of this decision making her hot all over. "No, no, definitely not. Bedroom?"

"We'll get there," Inuyasha said, and then _fuck yes,_ he was kissing her again.

Whatever Kagome had done before in her life was nothing compared to this. Everywhere he touched was like fire, his hands constantly roaming until she made a sound, a hitch. He bit her bottom lip and tugged at the same time as he snapped off her bra and threw that somewhere, too. She was desperate to touch him, but every time she tugged on his shirt or reached for his belt, his hands would push her away. If he wasn't kissing her so desperately, Kagome would be extremely confused.

Then his hand, as hot as a brand, was on her, pushing her down until she lay flat, legs dangling. The counter was cold on her back and Kagome squirmed, so warm in her skin that the cool surface was worse, not better. Inuyasha watched her, that same assessing gaze she was always so used to when they were out, when they were going through clues at home. That stare would end her, she thought to herself, breath hitching as his claws lightly danced down her stomach.

"I won't be able to eat here ever again," she whispered, doing the only reasonable thing to save herself by staring at the ceiling.

It didn't lessen his gaze though and it didn't stop the incessant brush of his claws and palms dancing along her skin. He hummed, more of a growl, and Kagome could practically feel the smirk being directed her away. "Too bad. I will. Case in point."

_What_—

Kagome's back arched, mouth opening in a gasp as Inuyasha bent over and immediately bit at her chest, his ring of teeth surrounding her areola like a halo. There was no sound she could make, nothing that dared to pass her lips as he proceeded to suck on her nipple, his hands tearing at the button of her jeans and opening them. She tried to say his name, but it was fruitless, her hands the only thing that could reach him. She tugged at his hair but in a daze she couldn't tell if it was closer or away, his mouth licking and sucking and teasing in equal measure. His bites trailed lower, tiny pieces of pressure along the softness of her stomach, the rise of her hipbone. Kagome's mind was a whirlwind of useless information, because the only thing it could think was _oh god, is he? _

Those golden eyes came back to her, his ministrations paused as he propped his chin on her body, considering. "Kagome," he rumbled, and shit, he was going to _ruin her_.

She let her head fall back down onto the countertop, the ceiling all she could see. "Yeah?" The word was breathless, weak to her own ears.

Inuyasha didn't seem to mind. "Can I take you apart?"

_God_, who the hell even asked questions like that? Kagome tilted her head uncomfortably to look at him, but she didn't have to worry. That heavy gaze was still on her, still scorching, and her entire body thrummed with heat.

His eyes narrowed. "Kagome."

"Mm-hmm," she managed to force out, seeing his smirk once more before her head collapsed back to the counter. Inuyasha stood up, hands efficiently tugging her out of her jeans. It was a struggle, her legs refusing to let him go until he forced them to, sliding the denim off one and then the other. Her underwear was next, an easy slide, and it was only then that Kagome realized she was absolutely, completely naked on the counter, completely at his mercy, and Inuyasha was standing by fully-clothed. She could see him, could see the way his eyes roamed over her and scoured every inch of her body like he was committing it to memory. Maybe he was. Maybe it was already there and this was simply the next step, the next evaluation.

Her legs wrapped back around him, craving him closer. His body was so hot, radiating heat along her thighs and ass, and his hands were warm when they finally touched her once more, a swipe of his thumbs across the expanse of her hips. It could have been the vulnerability. It could have been a host of other things, a cumulation of their limited time together and the stress of it all. Still, Kagome was positive that this touch was only so powerful because it was him, because it was _them_.

Inuyasha leaned down to lick a stripe along her stomach, from her bellybutton upwards, a hand surrounding her breast to play, to tug. His teeth teased along the underside of the swell of flesh and Kagome put a hand to her mouth, attempting to muffle a moan that seemed overly loud in the otherwise quiet apartment.

This, too, was batted away, her hand being forced to the countertop. "Let me hear you," Inuyasha whispered, voice rough, and Kagome groaned all over again to the sound of it. Her lips were puffy, kiss-swollen, and they parted on yet another gasp as Inuyasha gently bit the skin underneath her bellybutton, his nose trailing down, down, until his teeth grazed the skin right before her heat. Reflexively, her thighs tightened around him, disbelieving, but before she could even tilt her head to look at him, to say something of any meaning, Inuyasha disappeared between her legs, tongue lapping unerringly at her clit like he was fucking magnetized.

Kagome couldn't help the sharp tilt of her hips, the way her entire back arched off of the counter, lips parted on a silent plea. Her hands scrambled to grab at his hair, his scalp, but she did nothing to stop him as he closed his lips around her and started to suck.

Nonsense. Nonsense was falling from her lips and Kagome could barely open her eyes from the pleasure. His thumb teased at her entrance, the pad of it pushing in only to retreat just as he moved lower to lick inside. It felt like eternity, seconds, _hours_, Kagome had no idea. Every nerve in her body tingled, a sizzle below her skin like it was ready to explode. Her breaths were nothing more than gasped out pleas, his name. Things that made no sense but took up every inch of her brain power. Inuyasha teased at her clit with a single-minded focus he reserved for things not talked about in bedrooms, and before she knew it, she was tugging on his hair, _hard_, his name spilling from her lips over and over until she came.

It was so sharp, her body was frozen for moments that felt like forever. It was too much, too encompassing, and then Inuyasha's lips brushed against her parted heat like a kiss before he licked once more, teeth grazing down unexpectedly to make her come again. Or maybe it was the same, just another tidal wave crashing along the shores.

Either way, Kagome collapsed back against the counter, boneless. Warm arms wrapped around her, tugging her close until she was pressed up against his chest. She moaned weakly into his throat, her hand patting at his chest because she was okay, she needed just one more second—

And then they were flying.

The only reason she didn't scream was because her brain was too fucked out to realize what was happening until it was over. Her hands were fisted tightly in his shirt, white-knuckled, and Kagome could only stare at her hands for a second before looking around.

They were on the second-floor landing, and this was definitely Inuyasha's bedroom they were entering.

"Warn a girl," Kagome panted, tightening her legs around him. It was a reminder of just how strong he was, just how powerful his body could be to hold her, leap with her, with barely any assistance from herself.

Inuyasha's face turned in towards hers, his nose brushed against the line of her jaw. The barest press of lips traced down her throat, and Kagome hummed even as she was being lowered onto the softness of his mattress. There was a lamp on but she had no idea where, only that it cast a warm, soft glow into the room. Inuyasha was still fully-dressed, watching her as he took a hair-tie and swept his long locks back.

"Come here," Kagome asked softly, hands reaching out to him.

He grunted, a rumble of bass in acquiescence even as he stayed where he was to pull off his shirt. Kagome hadn't forgotten about the scars, the way they created constellations across his body like a tortured map. She pushed herself up, desperate to touch him, and this time Inuyasha let her as his own hands removed his belt and thumbed open the button to his pants. Inch by inch he was revealed, a figure of golden light before her, and this moment felt so much softer than before.

Where the kitchen had been a tidal wave crashing, this was endless ripples along a lake, dancing their way along.

Kagome wasn't surprised when he batted her hands away from helping, gentle still as he raised an eyebrow at her. There was a lesson there, she was sure of it, but Kagome simply wanted to be close. She craved him like no one else, not since the very first moment she had laid eyes on him. Inuyasha was beautiful and fascinating, rough around the edges but truthful and _just_. These were facts; the man was ruled by fact and fact alone, but Kagome had been pressed along his side in her own bedroom two nights ago, when he told her about his scars and a tumble of emotion clouded the words.

Dangerous or not, crazy or not, Kagome was drawn to Inuyasha like she always would be: a moth to a flame, praying to not get burned. Maybe she would, but maybe the warmth getting there would be worth it.

Just in his boxer-briefs, black and stark against his skin, Inuyasha crowded closer until Kagome was moving back on the bed. She reached out to touch, unable to help herself, but he batted that attempt away too, his hands grabbing her wrists to pin them above her head. She was so turned on that the gasp that left her was uncontrollable, embarrassing if she truly thought about it. Instead, all her head was filled with was a desire to be consumed by him. His golden eyes watched her as he lowered himself, face getting closer and closer until his lips were a hair-breadth's away from her own. This time, she didn't move. This time, she waited, chest rising and falling with every exhale. Her body itched to wrap around him, leg muscles tensing around his thighs. Still, she remained still, unmoving.

"So good," Inuyasha whispered before he finally – _finally _– kissed her again.

It was like a dam had broken, this single kiss the key to a lock. Her legs wrapped around him, hitching him closer until she could feel his erection pressing against her hip. The sound that ripped out of Inuyasha's throat made her shiver, a full-body reaction that had her breaking away from the kiss, desperate for air. She couldn't get enough but what did it matter anyways?

His teeth grazed her jaw, teasing along the skin until he bit down lower, the juncture of her neck and shoulder. It was on the edge of painful, and Kagome felt her entire body light up, legs clenching around him tight.

"You don't play fair," she gasped out.

Inuyasha scoffed, and she shouldn't be surprised by his attitude, even here in the bedroom. "When have I ever?"

"With me," Kagome panted, tilting her head to watch as Inuyasha bit down harder on the swell of her breast, just above the nipple. "You always play fair with me."

Inuyasha hummed at that, pausing in his ministrations to smirk at her. "You're not making any sense, Kagome."

Wasn't she? "At crime scenes," she tried, but the last word broke off with a stuttered cry as he sucked hard on one of her nipples, distracting her. Not playing fair, indeed.

"That's a bit different," he answered eventually, licking one last, sweet drag against her sensitive flesh. Was it just her, or did his voice drop a hell of a lot lower than normal? God, she was practically trembling. She'd consider this to be even more of an embarrassment than her needy, desperate touches from earlier, but the way Inuyasha stared at her made everything worth it.

Kagome licked her lips. "How?"

The smirk never left his face, even as he shifted so that the line of his cock was pressed along her heat, the teasing pressure on her clit making her heart stutter. "We're partners there," he told her, and as if to emphasize his point, he rolled his hips against her, a slow friction-filled drag that had her moaning. Each thrust was like the sweetest torture and Kagome could _feel _herself getting wet, the slide of him against her easier and easier. It made her arch her back, eyes rolling as she pressed against him. She wanted everything with him, all of him.

"You're not even going to ask?" he murmured.

The question pushed through her lust-hazy mind, forcing Kagome to open her eyes and stare up at him. His half-lidden gaze was more intimate than any expression she'd seen before, the gleam of his teeth shining against his swollen lips as he bit down on them, harder and harder with each thrust. Like he was trying to keep control of himself, like he was just as desperate as she was.

Kagome wanted him to break, so she asked, unabashedly letting her voice tremble into a sigh as the pressure on her clit started to overwhelm her, body chasing an orgasm still out of reach. "Why aren't we partners here?"

The hand that held her wrists squeezed almost painfully. Kagome whined, the distraction pulling her from climax. She held onto him tighter, but Inuyasha simply pressed her harder into the mattress. Pinned. Trapped. Kagome pushed against his hold and found him unmoving, unfailing. She was surrounded by him completely.

"Inuyasha," she gasped out, desperate and needy.

He licked into her mouth, swallowing her moan. It was too much and nowhere near, each thrust both exactly what she needed and not nearly enough. It didn't matter though. With Inuyasha, it never seemed to matter. He bit into her lower lip just as his aching cock thrust against her clit, her eyes rolling as she cried out, coming. He didn't stop though, not with his hips or his mouth, his thighs pressing her into the mattress as his free hand scratched across a nipple.

"Oh god, wai—" But her breath caught, body oversensitive and screaming.

The fallen strands of Inuyasha's hair brushed against her cheeks as he leaned down, breath a warm wave as he growled into her ear. "Ask again."

Her breathing stuttered, words failing to form. She hiccupped a cry. "Inuyasha," she gasped, or maybe it was a plea. Begging, certainly, but what she was begging for exactly was beyond her. There was nothing but him, absolutely nothing.

He sucked at the spot just under her ear, teeth grazing. His cock was so hard against her, still trapped within his boxer-briefs and Kagome wanted them _off_, wanted him _in_. "Please," she whispered.

"Ask again."

What was she even supposed to ask? Kagome groaned, tugging at her trapped arms again and whining. "Inuyasha, come on."

"Ask the right questions, Kagome," he taunted, his whisper a gentle breeze before he attacked the same soft spot of skin, making her ache.

Partners. Partners, her mind thought desperately. "Why aren't we partners here when we are partners out—out—" Her question died as he bit at what must now be a bruise. Pinpricks of pleasure-pain danced along her spine, lighting her up. "God, _fuck_, out there," Kagome finished, moaning as she felt Inuyasha tug down his boxers slightly, just enough for the wet tip of his cock to brush against her abdomen.

Inuyasha growled, "Because we are _so _much more than that here."

His lips attacked her own like he was offended, like the question he so desperately demanded she ask was an insult to what they had. Kagome didn't even care, overstimulated and feeling so close to vibrating out of her skin that she wanted to cry. "Take your boxers off," she begged the second he relented, the second he allowed breath before biting at her neck again.

His hand squeezed her wrists before letting go, but Kagome left them there, far too strung out to even think of doing otherwise. Inuyasha shifted so that he could do as she said, his golden eyes never leaving her face. What did he see, she wondered? What was it about her that made him like this, right now and in the field and in restaurants or at crime scenes?

Just like he could read her mind, Inuyasha shook his head. "You're not observing," he told her, the sentence so familiar, so him. "Just seeing." His clawed hand danced lines down her stomach, before the pad of his thumb dragged sweetly against her and then down to the wet heat of her, teasing her entrance with hot presses.

"And what are you observing now?" Kagome asked, unabashedly letting her legs spread wider at the attention.

Inuyasha stared at her, eyes taking in every inch of her like he couldn't help himself, couldn't stop himself even if he tried. A sound rose out of his throat, unlike anything she had ever heard. Not a growl, but something far more desperate, a whining plea. Then, he was gone.

"_Inuyasha_," Kagome pleaded, but he wasn't far. The sound of his nightstand drawer being ripped open distracted her, shuffling and Inuyasha's muttering the only thing in the otherwise silent room when he returned with a condom. The thought had her panting because _yes, god yes_, but there was more she wanted, even as desperate as she was. "Let me," she begged, arms flexing even though she didn't move her wrists. She'd stay until he told her otherwise. "Let me touch you."

Inuyasha didn't look like he did earlier: the smirking, collected detective that assessed every one of her weak points and exploited them for her gain. The man before her was wrecked, hair falling out of the makeshift bun and pupils blown wide. His body was scarred but immeasurably hot, both in heat and in the way his muscles shifted, the contraction of his abs as he shuffled on the mattress.

"Please," she tried again and Inuyasha nodded.

Kagome reached out instantly, before she was even sitting up. Her hands slid from his pecs down the length of his body, fingers dancing down in a V to his treasure trail, the silver-grey hair coarse against her touch. And then there was his cock and _god_, Kagome thought she was maybe going to die. It was thick, huge, looking almost painful in its hardness. The tip leaked as she wrapped her hand around it, feeling the heat, and her sigh was drowned out by the growl escaping Inuyasha's throat.

She stroked him, watching him rapt as he watched her. It was too much. Everything about him was too much. Kagome looked away only to stare back at his cock and _fuck_, she needed him inside of her. Now. Yesterday.

God, when they first met, whatever.

Kagome leaned forward and licked, pressing the flat of her tongue near the base of him and dragging it all the way up. He was heavy and even hotter than he felt in her hand, the taste of him making her moan as she sucked him into her mouth. It was just the head but already her lips were stretching wide, and now she was thinking about just how it would feel when he was lining up against her, teasing her entrance. How would it feel—

A hand pulled roughly at her hair, tugging her back. Kagome looked up to see Inuyasha breathing hard, head shaking. "I can't—" he started, stopping uncharacteristically before ripping open the condom. Kagome had wanted to do it herself but instead she watched, transfixed as he rolled it on. She fell onto her back, staring up at him as he gripped the base of his dick, mouth falling open in a pant as he watched her.

"Now," she pleaded, readjusting so that her legs were around his muscled thighs. "Now, Inuyasha, _now_—"

And whatever control he had over her in the beginning was long gone. He was hers and hers alone, his big hands sliding up her body as lined himself up. It wasn't fast enough and Kagome keened as she wrapped her legs around him once more, trying to get that thick cock inside of her. The first brush had her gasping, anticipation crawling up her spine. She tried to pull him closer but Inuyasha held her back, hands grabbing at her hips as he lifted them up.

"You're—" The words ended abruptly as Inuyasha groaned, sinking deeper inside of her, controlling the speed. The thickness of him filling her up had Kagome arching her body, pleasure exploding all of her senses, eye rolling. It was nothing more than a sensuous slide but she was so turned on that it was all she needed.

And then, before he was even fully inside of her, Inuyasha pulled back out only to thrust all the way back in.

Kagome cried out, but maybe there were words. Maybe not. All she knew was that she had been wrong before. The feel of him inside of her unmoving was not enough, nowhere _near enough_. Because this?

_This _was what she needed.

Her hips propped up in his arms, the angle of his cock was lighting every nerve ending up, every sensitive part within it. She was overwhelmed, little screams bursting out uncontrollably, and when he adjusted her so that his fingers could rub against her already over-sensitized clit, Kagome blacked out.

Dropped back onto the mattress, Inuyasha growled as he loomed over her, kissing her messily. It was like her soul was ascending, body trembling and mind a distant wreck as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hung on for dear life. Every thrust was like a jolt of electricity, the new position rubbing his stomach against her. It was too much, too much, but Inuyasha was holding her for the taking, breaking off the kiss to lick and bite and suck on every available flash of skin.

She thought he said her name, again and again, punctuated desperately with each thrust. She felt his claws lightly digging into her skin, pleasure and pain sparking along as she was fucked up the mattress. Her head hit the headboard but she only wrapped herself tighter against him, clinging and needy and whispering words that made no sense and all the sense in the world.

Inuyasha whined and Kagome grabbed onto his hair, forcing his chin down so that she could lick into his mouth and listen to him groan around her, hips stuttering. He was close, he was so close and she could tell by the desperation in his movements, his hips faltering to a stop deep inside of her like if he just breathed through it he'd be okay.

She didn't want him to be okay. She wanted to wreck him, consume him, just as much as he had wrecked and consumed her. Kagome clung on tighter, hands grabbing at his ass to push him deeper, listening to the way he growled out as she ground down against him. It hurt, his cock so big inside of her that the grind sealing them together was too much. But Kagome was nothing if not desperate, needy, her own body lighting up impossibly so. She just needed—God, just another grind, another thrust, another—

Her body spasmed so hard that Kagome jolted enough to make Inuyasha move, legs wrapped so tightly around him that even as she tightened her walls around his dick it was impossible to separate. Her cry was silent but the effect was total destruction on whatever thread of willpower Inuyasha had left. He came, growling into the side of her face as he thrust recklessly inside of her through the climax.

It took far too long for Kagome to come back to herself, for the heavy weight of Inuyasha to register and the soft light of the lamp to lull her closed eyes into opening. It was a half-hearted effort, her body so lax that Kagome thought she was going to instantly pass out.

There was a kiss to her temple, light and chaste before Inuyasha shifted above her. His golden eyes took her in with half-lidden pleasure, a smirk teasing his lips before he bent down to kiss her languidly. It was a different kind of overwhelming, soft and hot and inexplicably sexy.

"I give it two minutes," he said then, voice rough. It made her clench her inner walls, and Inuyasha groaned softly before shooting her an unreadable look. "Jesus."

"What's in two minutes?" Kagome asked. The words were slurred, more a mumble than an actual question.

He understood her anyways. Inuyasha always seemed to. One look, and he knew every story written in her bones. "Sleep, Kagome," he whispered.

She thought there was another brush of lips against her own, but Kagome was too far gone to really say for sure.

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**Next Time on **_**Deductions**_**: **

"It's basic game theory," Inuyasha stated, barely holding back from rolling his eyes. He stared at Dr. Hiten Inada through the one-way glass. There was a feeling inside of him that was desperate to be unleashed, an unnamed fury. But emotion would only make him more like Sango, who was so close to her wit's end that she may break a chair over their suspect's head.

"I know game theory," Sango sighed, frustration in every line of her body. "I'm not stupid."

There were a lot of things he could say to that, the first being that he never implied such. Well, never implied such _today _at least.

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**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

Guest: Oh my darling, you need to have a little more faith in me. The actual statistical probability of me not completing a multi-chapter fic over the course of my 15 years on this site is 10.7%. I only said I _try _to get chapters out every 2-3 weeks. I've been writing so many other stories this past month in preparation for the 12 Days of Witchyness so I can give you guys 12 new stories in 12 days over the holidays this year. I figured you'd all want some cheer when 2020 has been so crap (understatement of the year?). And when you're in the zone on a particular fic, you're in the zone, you know? If it makes you feel better, _Deductions (Part 1)_ has already been written.

Guest: Thanks darling! Hope this chapter didn't disappoint :)

Jane Black: Aww you're so sweet! Thank you so much, my dear! I'm so glad you're loving the story and that you love Sherlock Inuyasha as much as I do. You're a total gem! XOXO

NoYoureNotReal: Marry me.

Mari13: AH you're a total sweetheart. My heart can't take it. Thank you darling. So glad you like this fic and I hope this chapter was just as good :)

Questions: Hahaha that's okay! All theories are valid and if you remember or don't, or want to share or don't, I'm all for it! I'm genuinely curious if anyone will get it. There are details coming out like every chapter though so it's pretty hard to predict in advance! I will give you all that. Thanks so much, my love!

Stella: STELLA. STELLA MY LOVE. I hope this chapter was worth the wait and that you loved it and I adore you!

Silver Apple: Hi darling! Thank you so much for your super lovely words. I hope you enjoyed this chapter :) THANK YOU!

Irish Indy: We are close! We are actually only three chapters away now from the end. I KNOW. I KNOW. Definitely hard because there are still details coming out like…every single chapter. But I have to keep you on your toes, you know?! Thank you so much darling, I adore you!

Guest: No one really expected that, so I know the answers were bittersweet. But it's certainly not the end of that story, and we'll be focused a lot more on the InuKag in future :) Thanks love!

Mal: I do tend to ruins moods when getting to the good part ahaha. Hopefully this chapter made up for it! I'm so glad you like the Sesshomaru and Inuyasha dynamic. I know it was worrisome without answers (and there are still so many more things to come with them, like holy moly) but I really enjoy writing their strange brotherly-but-not relationship. Thank you so much, as always, love. You're so wonderful.

Guest: Hahaha you're very sweet, thank you! I do try to write reasonable chapter lengths. Deductions is so much better than TFOM. I should have never started that trend with the length XD I really hope you enjoyed this chapter darling! Thank you!

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**Feedback is love.**


	13. (12) I Told You

**Dedication:** To Superpixie42, who has been a darling dear for so long. Happy belated, love.

**Warnings:** Smut (if you'd like to skip, in the very first section of the story stop at "five minutes are up" and then start reading again at the start of the new section) and also mentions of sexual harassment/assault committed by a minor character on off-screen characters. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact me.

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**Deductions**

**Part One**

_Chapter 12: I Told You_

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Inuyasha stared at the ceiling, his internal clock ticking away. Each second that went by was a reminder of things undone: the mole at Sakura Scientific, the data yet to be understood from the Suzuki drive, the matching ring and its hidden code with a treasure that hadn't yet been found. It hadn't been that intruding at first, the dregs of sleep clinging and making the thoughts the slightest bit hazy. But it hadn't lasted. It never did. Quickly, those tiny reminders became louder, more prudent, until Inuyasha was sorting through their latest clues with something akin to desperation.

And then there was just no stopping it.

He looked down at Kagome, sleeping tucked into the crook of his arm. So many books would always write that those who slept looked their most peaceful, but she simply looked like she was sleeping. There was no resting peace, no serene quality that took over her features. This was why he didn't read anymore.

Inuyasha rolled over, the better to stare at her. He gave himself four seconds before shaking her awake. Instantly, her face scrunched up, hand reaching only to push at his arm. "Not yet," she whined. The words were hardly more than a slur. When Inuyasha didn't do or say anything, Kagome snuggled back into his body heat, relaxing.

He shook her again. "It's time to get up."

"No." She buried herself deeper.

"Kagome."

Another whine. "Five more minutes?" Her head popped up slightly, dark eyes in tiny slits. She was barely conscious, but her lips tilted downwards, pouting. One of her hands came up to pet his neck, smoothing down the line of his shoulder and arm.

He shouldn't. He really shouldn't. There was so much shit to do.

Inuyasha huffed and Kagome made another little noise, pitiful. Her head collapsed back down onto his arm. "Fine," he breathed out, noting that Kagome didn't even rejoice in her win. She was so relaxed already that she seemed to sink right back into sleep, knowing that it would be fine. Inuyasha shook his head. He settled, knowing that he had promised five minutes. He brushed at her hair, the long lines of silky black strands getting caught and tangled between his fingers. Probably from moving so much against the mattress. The reminder sent heat spiralling through him, a pleasant warmth he wasn't overly familiar with.

Had he expected this to happen? No. Inuyasha would be lying if he had stated he had. Maybe after Sunday, after he told her about his scars there was a chance. Inuyasha hadn't even really known why he had shared that part of his past at all. Kagome made him want things that were so different than the life he had built for himself over the last seven years. From the life he had lived before even that, before he had been forcibly brought to Hakurei and told to be good in a tone so condescending Inuyasha had wanted to punch everyone within a five kilometre radius.

What was it about her? Inuyasha wondered this, let his mind sink into the very fabric of it. He was rarely attracted to people at all, rarer still for any form of attraction to last beyond the other person opening their mouth. Yet Kagome had done all of those things, lasted through all of those barriers, and still managed to be around.

Be around and _not _make him want to die.

There had only been one other person like that and she—

Inuyasha let his hand trail down to her shoulder before he rolled her onto her back, giving him just enough leverage to lean over and kiss the purple bruise at the hinge of her jaw. "Kagome," he murmured. "Five minutes are up."

Kagome groaned but to her credit she did rub at her eyes, trying to wake. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Humming an affirmative, he turned his attention back to her neck. There was only one other bruise, closer towards her collarbone. In the light of day, that seemed like a mistake. He started to suck a mark into her neck before she had time to ask any other questions, anything else to distract him. Because Inuyasha would not be distracted.

"I'm going to have a hard enough time covering these up," Kagome gasped, but her hand clearly went to his scalp, pressing him closer while she tilted her neck to give him more room. Words and body language, a strange dichotomy. Inuyasha was fluent in both, despite what Miroku thought, and so far everything was pointing towards a very different morning than he had planned.

Still. "Should I stop?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

Kagome blinked at him. She stared for a beat too long before she shook head. "No, I really don't think you should."

"Good," Inuyasha decided, crawling until he was on top of her. "Now that that's settled." And then he spent some valuable time licking his way down her body, pulling out every possible sound that she could make. Last night was about taking her apart but right now, Inuyasha _wanted_. He wanted with a fire that had combusted suddenly, fuel-added and spitting. He wanted to consume her, every possible bit of her. He wanted to know every look, every breath, every sound that came from her, this woman who had entered his life and had made a space so wretchedly easily that Inuyasha was at a loss. At a loss because no amount of deducing could explain it: why she meant more, why she never tired of him, why she was as interested in these things as he was.

Not even—

No other—

Kagome cried out as he sucked and bit into the curve of her hip. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling without any kind of power, and Inuyasha stayed his welcome until the skin started to mottle. This was a part of it: the craving he held to make Kagome his in any way he possibly could. The beginnings of the bruise showed before him and Inuyasha stared for a few long seconds as he contemplated some more on exactly what this was, what these feelings concluded.

Inuyasha wanted every inch of her, every bit that Kagome was willing to give. Up until now, he had been slowly but surely tearing pieces of himself out, carving the space that she so clearly had taken over. He had given the last of it the other night, his admission to the _more _of their partnership a clear-cut indicator.

So that was it, then. This was them.

Somehow, this did not relax him. If anything, Inuyasha felt wilder. He felt too big for his body, too much for his soul. His hands danced along the swells of her body, feeling up and down every inch. Kagome sat up, hands touching him everywhere as she pressed him back down into the mattress. Her body on top was a prize in and of itself, a stunning display to drink in and memorize. And Inuyasha had done so last night, several times.

This was yet another.

Kagome didn't breathe a word. She didn't have to, normally, but Inuyasha was losing track of all the things he wanted to do to her and all the things she was telling him with her body. Every cue and gasp and look meant something and while his brain tried to eat it all up, swallow it and savour, there was too much before him to process. Too much to consider, even as she slid down the lithe line of his body. Her long black hair was a curtain of mystery, an oversight quickly noted when she took his cock in hand and stroked it hard and slow. Inuyasha choked back a gasp, eyes closing against his will at the sensation.

This was better than any thrill. Better than bungee jumping over waterfalls, cliff diving off mountains. Better than the chase of clues, one after the other until a picture clicked into place, rapid-quick with each deduction uttered from his lips. Her touch was like fire, burning through him, that flame stoking higher. There was nothing delicate about it, but Kagome had never been particularly delicate, had she?

Inuyasha opened his eyes at the call of his name, seeing pleased brown eyes before they, too, disappeared as she ducked down, as her lips wrapped against the head of cock and _sucked_. If Inuyasha believed in any sort of god, he may have prayed. As it was, all he could do was groan, trying his best to keep his hips to the mattress and not fuck her mouth.

And the _sounds_. God, just the sound of her around his dick tested every ounce of stamina he had. Inuyasha closed his eyes again because he couldn't look. Looking would mean seeing, and seeing would mean _understanding_, and then he would cave. He would crack open, pressure points in hardened stone, and split with a thundering shudder as he fell to the earth.

Fuck, he was falling.

"Kagome," he gasped out, and he was pleading, wasn't he? Somehow, some way, Inuyasha always seemed to end up pleading to her, far more desperate than he had ever been in his life. Yet another difference, another mystery to be solved where Kagome was concerned.

He'd have to do some more testing, just to see.

It was his turn to grasp her hair, far gentler than she had been. Inuyasha took in the swollen puff of her red lips, shiny with spit, and the flush along her face. Her pupils were dilated, blown with lust, and Inuyasha could observe no further as he twisted her around, pressing her front into the softness of the mattress, a hand at her back. Kagome whined, whether at the handling or the position, he couldn't figure out. Too far gone, Inuyasha realized. This was desperation clawing at him again, confusing his senses.

_Desperation is a loss of control_, a familiar voice haunted. _You showed your hand: you need me and now I can do whatever I want. That, Inuyasha, is power._

He licked at the dimples of her back, tasting the sweat of last night. He scraped his teeth along the flesh of her neck, a gentle warning that Kagome shivered with. She trusted him so much, with absolutely everything.

Inuyasha refused to waste more time. He dug into his nightstand for a condom, rolling it on with hands that were oddly steady. Kagome was already lifting her hips up, already bracing herself on her knees. Inuyasha didn't want that, though. He wanted every inch of her, just like he had demanded in the beginning. He wanted every breath and gasp and keen. With firm hands he grabbed a pillow for under her hips and pushed her back down onto it.

"Inuyasha." His name, simple, but there was something in the way she said it. Was it a demand? A plea? A question? He was too caught up, too overwhelmed by everything before him. Inuyasha could no longer stay away and so he crawled, plastering himself up against her and capturing her hands in his. She stretched along with him, her arms following as he raised them above her head. He nuzzled at the side of her face, kissed the flushed skin that peeked from her long, dark strands of hair.

"Let me be good for you," he whispered huskily, heat already pooling through his system at the feel of his cock against the burning heat of her. She was already so wet and he hadn't even touched her yet.

Kagome nodded, voice nothing more than a whine. It was the only invitation he needed. The first thrust was a slow, aching sort of torture. He could feel her take him in, inch by inch, lighting him on fire all over again. He readjusted, widening his legs until he could press all the way inside, until every part of him was consumed by her.

It was a cycle, wasn't it? Inuyasha and Kagome, a give and take that went on and on and on. He gave and she took; she took and he gave. Equally consumed and equally enraptured, brought together by mystery and held together with something much more unsolvable.

The thought spiralled, made itself home in his mind, and Inuyasha was helpless to do anything more than let it. He held her tighter, rocking into her with slow, powerful thrusts that had her breaths hitching at every one. He raised himself up, the barest amount to kiss along her shoulder, wet and sloppy as he continued to thrust inside. Every motion came faster, harder, until Kagome was keening below him and grinding her hips into the pillow. He rocked against her harder, buried himself so deep that the only thing she could breathe was his name.

He was losing it. He was becoming undone, slowly and surely. A trail of breadcrumbs would be less obvious than his shuddering groans, than the bites he pressed into her skin.

"Fuck," he whispered, burying his face into the back of her neck. "Fuck, Kagome, I can't—"

"Yes, god, _please_," Kagome panted. "I'm so close."

And _fuck_, all he wanted to do was let go. Inuyasha bit his lip and reveled in the flare of pain, sinking his cock deep inside of her and stilling, waiting, letting her grind against him and the pillow. He would give her anything and everything, let her use him as the rules of intimacy dictated. He felt each shuddering inhale, each half-gasped breath until Kagome stilled, neck arching and mouth opening in a silent cry. He could feel her come apart around him, so tight and wet that Inuyasha could barely do more than grasp her wrists tighter and slam into her over and over and over and—

If Inuyasha whispered anything into her heated flesh, his mind didn't record it.

That was fine, though. With the way Kagome was sagging boneless beneath his bulk, he was pretty sure she didn't hear either.

* * *

Well shit.

Inuyasha stared at the ceiling and realized that Kagome was, in fact, the best and worst kind of distraction. _Five minutes_, yeah right.

His phone vibrated angrily on the nightstand.

Kagome groaned but didn't move an inch from her sprawled out position on the bed. She hadn't even moved after he rolled off of her, body lax and malleable. Inuyasha would have to remember that sex with Kagome before anything remotely important was probably a very bad idea. She clearly was the type to pass out.

Quietly, Inuyasha grabbed his phone and saw the message from Sango.

[Incoming Message from Sango Houko – 06/19/2019, 7:53 AM]

_Where are you?_

_You told me yesterday to bring them in. Well, I have them in._

_WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?_

For fuck's sake.

"Kagome," he started, head turning on the mattress to stare at her. Her eyes were closed, breathing deep and even. She wasn't asleep but she was close. Inuyasha found it endearing, and then was annoyed that he found it as such. "I need to go to the station right away. You need to stay here. Miroku will text you in an hour, letting you know when he's coming by to drop off the missing Jane Doe file."

That, at least, got a frown. Kagome opened her eyes into tiny slits, head tilting up the slightest bit. "Shouldn't I come with you?"

"No," he answered, as casually as he could. "Stay here. Go through the file and see if anything was missed. I won't be long."

"Text me," Kagome told him sleepily, head crashing back onto the pillow.

Inuyasha stared at her for a moment too long before getting up. The best and worst distraction, indeed. He made quick work of getting ready, jumping in and out of the shower before throwing his hair up and heading downstairs. He sent a message to Myoga, a request for breakfast and tea if he wouldn't mind within the next hour, and then grabbed his red jacket just as he heard the sound of Kagome stirring awake. It made him pause for only a split second, thoughts of her slowly crawling out of his bed far too tempting.

He jammed the button for the elevator a little too hard, but that was fine. Sesshomaru only installed the best, after all.

He made it to the station in record time without Kagome, safety no longer than issue as he weaved through traffic at breakneck speeds. Sango was waiting for him in the lobby, purpling circles under her eyes. She needed to sleep, that much was obvious. Inuyasha scowled at her.

"Don't," Sango told him, holding up a hand with a fierce, unhappy expression of her own. "You're the one that told me to bring them in via text yesterday morning. We could have had a longer discussion about it at the doctor's place, but Kagome was there."

"I'm not _mad _at you," Inuyasha replied, rolling his eyes. "Where are they?"

Sango made a face at him, unimpressed. "Then what the fuck is that scowl for?"

She clearly ignored the other question, the _important _question. Inuyasha could feel his patience – limited and tiny as it was – snapping. "It was a busy morning and I have things to do. Where are they?"

"Sometimes, I really fucking hate you," Sango sighed. She rubbed at her face before turning away to lead him through the doors towards the office. Inuyasha felt a tiny wave of guilt crawl up his spine, a voice sounding suspiciously like Kagome's saying, _did you have to be so mean?_

Ugh.

"We've brought them in on suspicion only, and I can only hold them for so long without formal charges," Sango explained, bringing them towards the hall of interrogation rooms. Miroku was already there, looking just as bad as she did. The two of them were clearly overworked, clearly drowning under the assault of all the cases piling up. Inuyasha hadn't asked if the Jinenji Egawa case was officially transferred over from Detective Koharu Orikasa yet, but after the recent discoveries, he'd be surprised if it hadn't been.

"Which rooms?" Inuyasha asked.

"Dr. Hiten Inada is in room four," Sango said, pointing in its direction. "And Dr. Manten Inada in six."

"The glass?"

"There for both."

Inuyasha nodded. "Good."

Both Sango and Miroku stared at each other for a moment, startled. Inuyasha ignored them. He had just said 'good,' it wasn't like he was singing their fucking praises.

"So how do you want to play it?" Miroku asked. "We still have a few hours. The younger brother, Manten, is already a bit of a mess. He's been fidgeting non-stop since we brought him in, yelling obscenities."

Inuyasha grunted, sauntering over to the viewing room of room four. Miroku and Sango followed quietly, letting him do what he wanted as he took in Dr. Hiten Inada. A director at Sakura Scientific, and Kagome's boss's boss. He had already done the ground work and Sango had sent him copies of all the digital files he requested on Monday. That was where he had been that day, doing this alone because Kagome was compromised even if she tried not to be. And no matter how simple the burglary was, it had nattered at Inuyasha how the entirety of it hadn't been solved, how no one was flipping over and giving them the details they needed. The diener might have, eventually, if Sango kept pushing. But Sango and Miroku were right; their sergeant and captain would only protect them for pursuing this for so long, and the leads kept drying up. Inuyasha had to step in, had to make it a focus over the rest of the murders.

It was a good thing he was fucking great at what he did.

The chain of command was simple at Sakura Scientific, or at least the branch in which Kagome worked in. She directly reported to Dr. Manten Inada, and had ever since she received the short-term contract. Dr. Manten Inada, in turn, reported to his older brother, who managed the pathology side of the lab. There were others, of course, but the Inada last name held weight within the building. The two original suspects from the Sakura Scientific – Kaguya and Yura – had both been watched, both been followed. Nothing had ever jumped out. Inuyasha had been _so sure_.

And yet.

At the time, he hadn't processed all of the facts, all the steps and money and control needed to execute everything that had happened. The conspiracy had unraveled itself, growing deeper, and Inuyasha hadn't even gone back to the thought of either of the two who had been working that night. He had been so sure that he hadn't thought differently.

But then Sakura Scientific started to push back. They painted lies about Kagome and threaded false accusations with fake paperwork. The police were at loose ends, the straight and narrow path of proper procedure limiting.

And it was all because of the Inada brothers.

"So," Sango tried again, leaning against the wall to raise a brow at him. "Miroku's question? The plan of attack? We have one shot and one shot only. Once I release them, Sakura Scientific is gone for good. What's the play?"

"It's basic game theory," Inuyasha stated, barely holding back from rolling his eyes. He stared at Dr. Hiten Inada through the one-way glass. There was a feeling inside of him that was desperate to be unleashed, an unnamed fury. But emotion would only make him more like Sango, who was so close to her wit's end that she may break a chair over their suspect's head.

"I know game theory," Sango sighed, frustration in every line of her body. "I'm not stupid."

There were a lot of things he could say to that, the first being that he never implied such. Well, never implied such _today _at least. "The weak point is the younger brother," Inuyasha stated, kindly not indicating the obviousness of it. "So that's where we'll break them."

Miroku headed towards the door. "I have the keys for Manten's—"

"No," Inuyasha interrupted. "I'll be seeing Hiten first."

Sango frowned at him, mouth opening before shutting it again quickly. She had clearly decided any attempt to understand why wouldn't be cared for. All the detective wanted was a solution. It was a basic, simple transaction and one that he could accomplish.

Miroku led him towards the main door for room four. He unlocked it, letting Inuyasha inside. He quickly assessed Hiten's position within the room before gesturing with his head that he'd be outside. Inuyasha nodded and sat down.

"Are you filing any charges?" Dr. Hiten Inada asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Me? No. That's not really my thing." A small furrow appeared between his brow, but it smoothed out immediately afterwards. He went back to looking pleasant again, if a little on edge. Inuyasha was already bored with this, but steps were steps. "Was it you that brought the body bag of our missing Jane Doe out so that it could be stolen?"

"No," Hiten replied. "Do I need a lawyer?"

"Honestly, if you were smart, you'd ask for one." Inuyasha sighed and stood up, rubbing at his face. "But you're not because you think you're better than us. That's fine, really. Better for me, anyways. But really, I don't really want to talk to you. There's no point. In the end, I'm a hell of a lot fucking smarter than anyone in this building and that includes you."

Hiten's red gaze did narrow at that, an expression that finally lasted. He was confused, bewildered by this unexpected turn of events. He expected to be harassed, to be asked question after question until he tauntingly invoked his right to an attorney. Hiten was a people person, and he was far from smart but he also wasn't _dumb_. He was manipulative, narcissistic. He rewrote stories in his head of his greatness, molded himself into a being that put out nothing short of perfection.

In other words: he was really fucking boring.

"Then why did you bring me in at all? Why come in here?"

"I didn't, and because I had to," Inuyasha replied, ticking off his fingers with each answer. He waved a dismissive, disdainful hand at him. "Just be quiet, will you? It'll be over soon. Your brother is already a fucking mess so he'll crack like a fucking egg."

"You underestimate my brother," Hiten stated then. His tone was even, but his eyes were still glaring, still reproachful.

Inuyasha sighed. "Uh-huh," he muttered, loud enough for the demon's ears. He didn't say goodbye when he left.

It was Sango standing out in the hall waiting for him this time. She raised an eyebrow at him but was smart enough not to question him on his tactics with Hiten. She led him over to room six, hesitating before letting him in. "I'll be on the other side."

"Bring Miroku in, too," Inuyasha said. "This is the fun one."

"Where you break him?"

He smirked but didn't answer. "Game theory, Sango. It's all game theory."

She rolled her eyes before opening the door, doing her precursory check before heading out. It was obvious from the beginning that Miroku had been right: Manten was, in fact, quite worked up. There was sweat along his forehead, his big eyes red-rimmed. When Sango had been inside, he had been trained on her figure, watching her until she disappeared from sight. Unliked his brother, Manten was far more obviously a demon. While humanoid, his face was oblong, peaking at his mouth. He was far larger, broader, but from his slight tremble he was weaker-willed. Inuyasha took it all in factually, leaning back in his chair to study him and not saying a word.

It didn't take long before Manten snarled. "I'm not telling you anything."

"I really don't expect you to," Inuyasha replied easily. "You look pretty stupid, for one, and for another even if you _weren't_ stupid, I'm a fucking lot smarter. It's just a better use of both of our time if I simply gathered what happened from staring at your face."

Manten froze, his expression stuck in a disgusted, horrified glare.

"Like that one," Inuyasha helpfully pointed out, smirking. He folded his hands across his chest and leaned back.

"How—_How_—" Manten's voice shook with rage, his body trembling. Zero control, mentally and physically. Hated himself for it, clearly. Hiten was the opposite and as such, the 'better' being between the two of them. "How _dare _you," he choked out. "Release me immediately."

"Nope," Inuyasha replied. "Still got a couple more hours."

"For what?"

"For whatever," he answered, matter-of-fact. "I can honestly just sit here the whole time and stare at you and that would be that."

"To what end?" Manten snapped, face contorting into even greater rage when Inuyasha simply shrugged. "You cannot do this!"

"I'm not doing anything." Inuyasha smirked. "Actually, give me a moment, will you?" He stood up and headed towards the door. He didn't even bother shutting it behind him. Miroku was immediately at his side, blue eyes clouded in confusion. _What_, the detective mouthed.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Search the Sakura Scientific database again," he said, not even a little bit quiet. "Check for the number of women who have been let go with a significant package. We're talking double the severance, if not more."

Miroku blinked but Inuyasha merely shut the door in his face. Now was not the time to dawdle. He had places to go, people to see.

"What was that?" Manten demanded, the moment he came back inside.

"Nothing to worry your pretty head over," Inuyasha answered nonchalantly. He smirked then, and this time he let it simmer, let it turn into something ugly and sneering. "Or, well, whatever adjective you'd call yourself."

Yet again, the demon froze. It was horrifying, how one single well-aimed comment could shut Manten down completely. Inuyasha watched him, studying the way his eyes glazed and fixed themselves at a point in the room. Not at Inuyasha. Never at the abuser, body still trembling slightly. Not with rage though, but fear.

Ah.

Inuyasha bit the inside of his cheek. "Hit a little close to home?" Manten didn't respond but his jaw clenched, throat working on a swallow. "Oh good, pretending I'm not here. Smart. Play possum. Roll over dead and all that." He chuckled a little, ignoring his chair completely so that he could sit, cross-legged on the table. Manten was so close – within a dangerous range, one that Sango would surely scream at him for later – but the demon didn't move a muscle.

Well-trained, apparently.

"It has to suck, being you," Inuyasha continued ruefully. "I mean, it's always a pain in the ass to be the younger sibling. Especially when you're brothers. There's always…competition. An edge that underlies every single conversation or action. But you know what I'm talking about." Manten didn't even look at him, his big demonic eyes still staring far and away. "You're a disappointment, they tell you," Inuyasha rattled off. "You're not good enough. Your strength is subpar. Your looks are terrifying, less human which is apparently some gold standard. Your older brother is better than you at every single little thing."

Another swallow and Manten actually pressed his mouth together, a thin line whitening the ashen tone of his face.

"You grow up lesser," he went on, "and you know it with every breath you take. You're wasted air. Wasted _time_. Even if you are smarter, maybe, at one little thing, your brother has an achievement lined up and waiting. Oh, you solved a case? Here's a head pat, but look at your darling brother, serving the government and ending world wars before they start." He paused for a moment, considering. "Or maybe starting them. Depends on how the mood strikes. But that's all there is to it. Your life was forfeit to your older brother's the moment you were born and they took a look at you." Inuyasha snorted, waving yet another dismissive hand. "I mean, let's be serious. Hiten is far more attractive than you. He's your _boss_ and I've seen the records. You've been with Sakura Scientific for six years _longer_. Since you were an intern. And your brother strolls in and gets a promotion to your level within a _month_. A year later? He's your _boss_."

There was another chuckle building in his throat so he let it loose, watching as Manten turned his big eyes towards him with something akin to hatred. "Overlooked in love, in looks, in a career. I mean, what else is there? Knitting?"

"I'm not falling for this," Manten hissed.

"What is there to fall for?" Inuyasha asked, incredulous. "These are factual statements, you fucking idiot. Nothing I'm saying is a guess, or a lie."

There was a window knock then, on the glass to his back. Inuyasha listened to the four raps, his smirk worsening with each one.

"You're wrong," Manten declared. "My brother isn't better than me. We're different. We're—"

"Cut the bullshit," Inuyasha interrupted, rolling his eyes. "Do you hear the tremble in your voice? Five year old children have better vocal control. Listen to me, and listen to me closely: nothing you can say will change my opinion of you. And the thing about my opinion: it's always right."

"Fuck you," Manten spat.

Inuyasha laughed, cruel and loud. "No _thanks_. Familiar with that sentence? How many times have you thrown yourself at women the moment they've given you even a scrap of decency? I mean, let's talk in simple terms: they smile at you in a completely benign, normal way. And you take it for affection. You take it as a promise. You look at a pretty girl and you think it's what you _deserve_. And when those smiles turn into frowns, or anger, and you still push them? Still demand that they let you touch them?"

"No—"

But it was far too late, and Inuyasha could see every crack in the demon's armor. "I know all about the women. How many was it? How many of them did your brother have to _bury_ in legalese until they simply settled and walked away from the job?" He eyed Manten up and down, sneering. "Two? No, not low enough. You're the kind of pathetic that would start panting after a head nod. Three?"

Manten looked sick to his stomach.

"Four," Inuyasha decided, feeling his hooks dig in. "Four women you assaulted. Four women you made uncomfortable, that you touched without permission, that you lathered with your gross, disgusting thoughts until they were so desperate to leave that they took the hush money your brother offered them and they _ran_. You want to know why your brother is better than you in every way? Because he cleans up after you. Every. Single. Time. And he's so perfect, so much _better_, that you can't even say you've returned the favour."

"No!" Manten screamed, standing up and looming into Inuyasha's space. They were maybe the same size, but Inuyasha was sitting on the table. He was smaller, unprotected, but he simply held up his hand to the glass behind him and watched with a smirk as Manten crowded close and snarled. "You know _nothing_," he spat, each word a thundering roar. "I'm the one who covered for his addicted, pathetic self when the raige—"

Viciously, the demon sat back down in his chair. He was trembling with rage, hands balled into fists as he glowered at the table. He didn't move for a long while. Inuyasha sat there and watched, subtly impressed.

Eventually, Manten raised his head. "We're done here. I want a lawyer."

Inuyasha hummed. "What you want doesn't actually matter," he explained calmly. No more sneer; it wasn't needed. "Pick your words better."

Manten did nothing.

"Let's finish this, shall we? I promise you don't even have to say a word."

The fists clenched tighter but Inuyasha wasn't worried. "I would be stupid to forget that recently a woman came along, and she smiled at you and didn't immediately run when you responded back." Everything about this was merciless, except for his tone. There wasn't much to be done about that. "It was only after that you found out she was never interested in you at all. She wanted what you could _do _for her, and in the end, your brother was so much better suited, wasn't he? He had the big promotion, after all. The shiny title of director. What you should have had."

The demon looked up sharply, shaking. His eyes were as big and wide as they always were, but Inuyasha didn't stop looking, didn't stop assessing. He sighed and was the first to look away. "That's what I thought."

"I will never betray my brother," Manten insisted, shaking his head. "Take your tricks somewhere else."

Inuyasha smirked, rueful. He slid from the table and nodded. "I'd like to point out that you haven't admitted to anything."

That made Manten frown in confusion. "What?"

"You haven't verbally given up anything." Inuyasha made a face. "Well, one thing. But it's not your fault I'm smart. Sango and Miroku behind me have no fucking clue what's going on." There was a thump on the glass. Inuyasha smirked wider. "You are a piece of demon garbage," he continued. "But your brother is definitely worse."

"How dare you—"

"Oh, _save it_," Inuyasha growled, rolling his eyes. "Never mind, I take it back. You're equally bad. Christ, you try to give a demon a bone what with all the childhood trauma and shit and they just fucking throw it away." He left then, leaning on the wall outside the room as both Sango and Miroku came from the viewing side.

"What was that?" Sango demanded. "You didn't even talk to him about the burglary!"

"Why the fuck would I do that?" Inuyasha asked, disappointed. "I told you the plan."

"Game theory is about optimal decision making," Sango exclaimed. "And making them think that it would be _optimal _to give up their partner! That isn't what you did at all! It was some fucked up version of Dr. Phil in there!"

Inuyasha scowled. "Are you done?"

"The clock is ticking," Sango hissed. "And our asses are on the line. Do you understand that, Inuyasha? We're _fucked _if this fails. Miroku and I will be buried under desk duty until we get forced fucking out, are you serious—"

"Be quiet," Inuyasha cut in, pushing away from the wall. "For fuck's sake, I know you're tired but listen to yourself. You really fucking think I'm going to fail?"

"Guys," Miroku cut in, palms firmly on both of their shoulders. He looked around, and Inuyasha knew that there were a couple officers spectating a little further down the way. He wasn't the one that worked here though and he really didn't give a shit about anyone's opinion. The same couldn't be said for Sango and Miroku. "Let's talk about this reasonably."

"No need," Inuyasha replied blithely. "In fifteen minutes of monologuing you'll have your admission of guilt. Happy?"

Sango glared at him but wisely didn't open her mouth.

"Good," he replied. "Now, back to room four."

Miroku sighed. "You're not making this easy."

"I make _everything _fucking easy, do you see the magic that's happening?" Inuyasha scowled and huffed, making sure his displeasure was known. "Fifteen minutes and I'll do what neither of you could in a week!"

"Stop being an asshole," Miroku snapped, his hand going to reassure Sango with a touch to her back.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Look, take it however you want. I wouldn't fucking do this for anyone else. For fuck's sake, if you both got fired I would have to stop doing this and then the solve rate for this entire fucking division would tank. _Tank_. And then the city would be in even bigger shambles. I mean, we're all fucked but at least with the three of us it's slightly more tolerable." He gestured towards the door for room four. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll wrap this up with a bow. Miroku, follow me in and look intimidating, won't you? Don't open your mouth though. Don't even look at me."

"What?"

He didn't waste any time, bursting through the door and smirking in delight at Hiten's blank face. He sauntered back to the table, Miroku coming inside. To his credit, the detective didn't look outwardly confused. Only Inuyasha would have been able to tell, which was a win in and of itself.

"Well," Inuyasha started. "This has been fun but all good things must come to an end. I just came from your brother's room – fuck, does he have issues – and we had a great chat. It was mostly me, not going to lie. Still, result will be the same. My friend here is going to arrest you on charges of aiding and abetting, conspiracy to commit burglary, bribery, conspiracy to commit murder… What else am I forgetting?" He looked over at Miroku for a moment but it didn't matter.

Hiten started to stand, face incredulous. "What?" he exclaimed. "My brother would never talk to you."

Inuyasha shot him with an unimpressed glance. "Uh-huh, right. Because I've been gone for the last twenty minutes frolicking through the fucking fields of Hakurei's city streets. Grow the fuck up."

"He didn't," Hiten insisted.

Blowing out a breath, Inuyasha turned the chair around so that it was backwards and straddled it. He gave Hiten a long, sad look. "On June 11th, a woman approached your brother. At first, you were angry because, you know, _here we go again_. But this time it was different. This time, she wanted to get to you. She had a proposition. A body was being transferred to your lab and they wanted you to do three simple things."

Hiten opened his mouth but Inuyasha held up his hand, ticking off his fingers.

"One: take the Jane Doe body and leave it in the body bag for these new friends of yours to steal. It wasn't that hard, let's face it. Kaguya and Yura often work the same shifts and your entire system is antiquated, but it's good at one thing. It tracks usage. Which means that you could see every single time Kaguya and Yura went offline to go and have their impromptu, unauthorized coffee break. The records clearly show to us that this has been happening for – what – six months now? They averaged being away from their computers for twenty-seven minutes, which gave you twenty-seven minutes to enact your plan. You gave the woman a timeframe, you got out the body and you left it there. Easy peasy. No one would be the wiser, not after all they promised. Which leads me to my next point.

"Two: look the other way on the hacking. This was better for you, honestly. They broke the locks, stopped the alarms, killed the cameras. Made it easier for you to pretend to leave work like you always do with your younger brother. I'm sure you even waved goodbye to Kaguya and Yura as you left, am I right? Had to get it in there that you were gone. Only you didn't leave. Manten got into the car and you snuck back around to the fire escape. The camera footage from outside would be non-existent, thanks to the hack, and your demonic strength made it easy to climb up the escape and leap the gap towards your window. As long as you left it unlocked – which you did – you could crawl back into your office with no one the wiser. The easier to sneak into the freezer and collect the body. All that was left was the final task.

"Three: the woman gave you a photo at the time of your meeting, a picture of a random Jane Doe and a file filled with false details. As director, you have the authorization to go into any employee's account and get their data, like, say, Kagome's password. And then you could log in as her and remove both the details of her original work, and then enter in the new details as given to you. When you collected the body, you re-attached the physical photo to the newly printed, falsified file. Done! It all would have gone so well if Kagome hadn't been there to fuck it up."

Hiten grew considerably paler with each word that Inuyasha uttered. There were a lot of words so by the end of it, the demon was sinking into his chair, shock all over his face. His composure was lost.

Inuyasha smirked. "I mean, it was a pretty good crime and cover-up. It only got worse because Kagome was there, fighting you every step of the way. Pretty soon you needed to bribe the poor other diener she worked with. But that man? Zero backbone. Terrified. You could see the writing on the wall: it was only a matter of time before he crumbled and Detective Houko was pressing in. She called you on Saturday, didn't she? A courtesy call, reminding you of her meeting with the diener on the Monday." Humming to himself, Inuyasha clicked his nails across the tabletop, over and over and over until Hiten's eyes were forced to stare at them. "So you made a call yourself, back to the woman who started this whole mess. You needed help. You needed this covered up. You weren't going to go down because they surely didn't pay you enough to deal with all this. No one was supposed to know. So you made the call – either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, who knows – but by Sunday evening, your dear ex-employee, Kagome Higurashi, was viciously attacked. Someone tried to kill her."

"How do you—"

"How do I know?" Inuyasha asked, leaning forward like a predator eyeing its prey. "How do you think?"

"No," Hiten forced out, voice raw. "My brother would never—"

"We never would have noticed the discrepancy either," Inuyasha interrupted, waving a hand around. "I mean, no one even noticed that you didn't arrive with your brother that night to the scene. The police didn't even notice. How stupid! I mean, no fucking _wonder _you thought you'd get away with a plan that was supposedly genius. But I'm a man of facts and data, Dr. Inada. The past determines the future and all that shit. So our good friends at the corner bodega right down the street from us offered the Hakurei Police Department free viewing of their outdoor cameras. I mean, there was paperwork and shit but—" He was getting off topic. "The point is the cameras are far better quality than the street ones. Which, honestly, says a lot of shit about the municipality. Whatever. I digress. The bodega has had a handful of attempted robberies so maybe it's not surprising. The point _is_: you and brother have carpooled home from work every day for the last year. _One whole year_. And on June 11th, for whatever reason, you weren't there. The best part is that the camera _also _captures your younger brother driving back to Sakura Scientific early on the morning of the 12th, clearly to come and deal with the police that you supposedly both arrived at the same time for. Only you weren't in the car."

Hiten shook his head, but it was out of disbelief rather than any sort of negative affirmation.

Inuyasha lowered the hammer on the nail in the coffin. "Well, prison can give you one benefit at least. It'll be hard as fucking hell to get raigekijin. I mean, out of all the drugs you could get addicted to, that one kind of sucks. But I'm not here to judge you."

"He fucking _sold me out_?" Hiten screamed, and just like his brother, stood up to announce it. "No, no this was all his fault! He was the one that planned this. I only did it because I had to, because if I didn't then it would be him and we'd be all fucked. It was _him_! It was _Manten! _He brought that bitch into our lives—"

"Oh, right, what was her name again?" Inuyasha asked.

"I'll tell you," Hiten spat, shaking with rage. "I'll tell you everything but I want a fucking deal."

"I feel like I know everything already," Inuyasha pointed out. "So I'm not sure what kind of deal you're expecting. Let's be real: what the fuck do you know that I don't?"

"The woman's name was Kagura," Hiten snarled. "The one that did this. I can tell you everything. Everything they have planned. Everything she wanted."

Hiten had no idea what she had planned, Inuyasha thought wryly. He shrugged. "Well, you'll have to work that out with the police."

At that, Hiten blinked. "What?" he asked, voice suddenly a whisper.

Inuyasha held out his hands. "I'm not with the police. I'm a consulting detective. I'm helping out with the case, you know, because the police kind of suck." There was a pounding on the glass and Inuyasha smirked towards Miroku, who was staring at him with so much shock it was actually embarrassing for _both of them_. He quickly looked away.

"But you were giving me _charges_," Hiten hissed. "You can't do that if you're not with the police. That's lying! You were trapping me!"

"Ah! Ah, now you're just being purposefully dumb. I said my friend was _going _to arrest you, not that he was. Also, I told you filing charges wasn't really my thing. It was literally the first sentence I ever said to you."

Hiten growled. "You said my brother sold me out."

"Yet another idiotic lie. That narcissism is really bad for you, huh? I never said that. Also, Manten definitely didn't." Inuyasha propped his head in his hand, nails still clicking away on the table. "Well, he accidentally said half of the drug you used to be an addict of but I'm pretty smart so it wasn't hard to figure out what he was trying to say. Hell, I even _told you _that when I spoke with your brother, it was mostly me talking _to him_." He paused, primarily for the shits and giggles of it all. "Manten didn't say shit about the burglary. In fact, we didn't talk about it at all."

"Then how—"

"Because I told you from the beginning," Inuyasha snapped, standing up. "I'm a lot _fucking_ smarter than anyone else in this entire _fucking_ building." With a jaunty salute, he headed towards the door. "Oh, and thanks for the name of your contact. Good luck having any sort of leverage with the police to try and get a deal."

After that, it was a flurry of activity. Inuyasha sat at Sango's desk, only interacting with Miroku for two minutes while the detective stared at him some more with something like awe in his expression. He took a few boxes and disappeared; apparently, this was the time to drop off the files to Kagome. Probably for the best.

Checking the time on his phone, Inuyasha groaned. A few more hours until his meeting with the Director of Economic Development at the City. Ugh, why couldn't the day just go by faster? Once this was all wrapped up, he could go back to the apartment with Kagome, go over any theories she had and then they could take off. Maybe they could order dinner in, afterward. That was a normal thing couples did, right?

"Jesus fucking _Christ_." Sango's voice was raw and rough, emotion laced with every word. In a moment, she spun his chair around while she sat down in the one left for guests. Her magenta eyes pierced him and Inuyasha had to look away because he absolutely did _not _want to see what was there.

"Let it be, Sango," Inuyasha told her seriously. "It's just what I do."

"Monday," she said simply. "You spent only _Monday _on this, and you got all that. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it was all circumstantial," Inuyasha replied. "Even the fucking bodega cameras."

Sango shook her head. "How did you even _get those_?"

"A friend of a friend. Like I said before, don't ask."

The detective swore again, burying her head in her hands. Inuyasha watched her breathe, long and deep breaths that seemed to settle her a little more every time. It was fine though, he could wait. When Sango eventually resurfaced, she was still shaking her head but there was a smile there, tiny and incredulous. "I followed along, for the most part," Sango said then seriously. "You connected Miroku's knocks to the number of women, just like he knew you would. But what I don't understand at all is how you knew it was a woman, at all, who approached them for this whole shitshow of a conspiracy." She stared at him, even after Inuyasha looked away. He could feel it boring into his skull.

"An educated guess," Inuyasha admitted finally, begrudgingly.

Sango huffed. "You don't make guesses."

"Well, as you said before, this was our last shot or we were completed fucked." He tapped his nails against her desk. "Sometimes you have to play the odds."

For a moment, there was silence. Then there was a huff, and Sango was swearing again, a soft, "Jesus fucking Christ."

"We got a name out of it," Inuyasha pointed out. It was an unexpected bonus. "Kagura. _Kagura_. We'll need to run if there's any ties between that name and anyone who works at the Hakushin Medical Centre or at the City, specifically Ruri Shiima, the director."

"You think Kagura is the one behind Sara's murder?"

"No, she's part of the solution to Sara's murder," Inuyasha replied. "She's the person who our murderer called, or she works for the person our murderer called. She's part of the cleaning crew who orchestrated the burglary, Jinenji's death… Probably the doctors and the missing Jane Doe."

"Shizu," Sango said then. When Inuyasha finally looked at her, she sighed. "Our missing Jane Doe, her name was Shizu. I'll send you everything I've got but we managed to find a photo of Doctor Suzuki with another woman, and managed to filter it through some missing persons reports. No hits _but _it pulled in one of our databases. The girlfriend's name was Shizu Yamaguchi. You'll never guess where she used to work."

* * *

Kagome balked as Inuyasha told her the news. "What?"

"Exactly," he replied, jogging up the steps to City Hall with what even he could call excitement. "Sango's sending over copies later. She'll leave them in the garage if we're not home though we probably will be. What do you want to do for dinner tonight?"

There was a choked off laugh and then Kagome grinned at him, confused and delighted. "You're going to eat?"

"Me? No." His expression quickly turned unimpressed. "But you need to eat."

"You do _too_," Kagome argued, hands leaving the nest of her scarf to wave in the air enthusiastically. "You're a half-breed. You should be eating _way more than me_. Not nothing at all! It isn't healthy."

"Yes, Doctor."

"You're eating tonight."

Inuyasha scrunched up his nose as he opened the door to City Hall. "I will not."

"You will, too, or I swear to god—"

"Whatever, okay, we're here." Inuyasha pushed her forwards with a hand on her lower back, distracting her. "We can't be late for our meeting."

The administration desk told them where they needed to go, directing them to the elevators for the fourth floor. Kagome led the way, Inuyasha feeling his cell phone vibrate just as he stepped out.

[Incoming Message from Miroku Tsujitani – 06/19/2019, 3:54 PM]

_Tech came back, confirmed the drive from Dr's house had no data. _

_It's an encryption key._

One step forward and two steps back. Inuyasha held back a growl. He typed another message, not bothering to pay attention as Kagome spoke with a woman at the desk. The floor they were on was separated from the main part of the building; in fact, it held only the offices for the top positions within City Hall. There was the receptionist that Kagome was talking to and another woman in the furthest back corner, blocking yet another office.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in distraction before turning back to his phone.

[Outgoing Message]

_The girlfriend's apartment must have the data._

_We need access ASAP._

[Incoming Message]

_Why do you think we're pulling another late night?_

With a sigh, he typed out a last message to not kill themselves. "Kagome."

The doctor turned around, eyes immediately drifting to his phone before looking back up at his face. "What happened?"

"The drive we found at Suzuki's was nothing more than an encryption key."

"For what?"

"The blackmail, probably," he answered, shoving his phone back into his pocket before looking around the floor yet again. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "If we can get to Shizu's house and find _her data_, whatever Suzuki's ring is a code for, then we can crack this case open."

"Well, in the meanwhile, we'll talk to Ruri Shiima," Kagome murmured. Her hands grabbed at his arms, steering him towards the seating area. "We're still a bit early and apparently the director may be a bit late in one of her meetings so we have time."

They sat down but Inuyasha wasn't really invested in just _waiting_. He took in everything about the room and then took in the sight of the two women on the floor with them. The receptionist was ancient. Someone who was going to be there until they forced her into retirement, taking her government pension with her. She was competent even though she spent most of her time clearly staring at pictures of her grandchildren on the computer. The other woman, however, was more interesting. New at the job, a month at most. Her lilac hair was messily tied back, the stress of her position causing her to overheat. Her desk was scattered with papers, phone ringing without being answered. She was overwhelmed and suffering for it.

"Who even reads these?" Kagome asked suddenly, distracting him.

Inuyasha focused on what she was looking at. It was the usual city magazines that a local media company put out. The media company, while privately owned, also was in the pocket of the City. Unsurprisingly, every article was a flourish of loving the mayor, loving the work their precious city was doing, a book of propaganda on every achievement that made it better than everywhere else. Inuyasha curled his lip as Kagome leaned closer, showing him a spread that was done in the past quarter on the mayor. The headlines were all about city growth, higher employment, new big business for the economy. A re-election plug if he ever did see one. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, knowing they would never dare talk about the opioid crisis, would never dare to talk about the issue of homelessness and the corruption and everything else that went on.

"This seems…about what I would expect," Kagome said eventually, finger idly tracing the lines of the photo. It was of the mayor sitting in his office behind a massive mahogany desk. Trophies lined the wall behind him, plush chairs and a seating area over an artfully decorated rug taking up the space in front of him. Everything was ostentatious and loud, screaming of wealth. "I've seen him on TV. He seems nice."

"They all seem nice," Inuyasha replied, tired of looking. He scavenged the room once more for anything interesting but when it came up short, he stood up.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, her dark gaze glaring at him. "It won't be much longer."

"I'm not going to do anything," he retorted before he sauntered away and promptly went to do something. Harassing the new assistant in the corner of the room seemed like the most fun anyways.

The desk proudly displayed a sign for the Executive Assistant to the Mayor, with a little plaque underneath that stated the mayor's name, Menomaru Seki. Inuyasha tried not to roll his eyes at it. "Excuse me," he greeted, not at all polite.

The woman looked up at him, with eyes that were definitely crazy. "Can I help you?"

"Not really. Are you new?"

That was definitely a frown sliding over the woman's face, her eyes going from crazy to distrustful in seconds. "Why do you ask?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "You seemed stressed. You work in government which, I'm not going to lie, is like the easiest job in the world. Depending on where you are but like… You're admin so unless your boss is a dick, you're kind of doing well." He made a hand motion that meant absolutely nothing and the woman before him started to glare. "Anyways, I don't have an appointment."

"I know." She took a pointed look at her computer, which meant the calendar was up and she was absolutely double checking. "Also, the mayor is out."

"Ah yes, probably feeding the poor," Inuyasha lamented, spinning around so that he could step behind her desk. It wasn't to get any closer to her at all. Inuyasha was bored and there was nothing of interest around anywhere. He peeked into the tall, skinny window that had its blinds open, peering into the office of the illustrious mayor. "When is he going to be back?"

"Not today," the woman stated. "You can't be here."

"Why?" Inuyasha asked, taking in the stupid mahogany desk and the plush chairs and the numerous trophies. So ostentatious. "I have an appointment."

"Not with—"

"No, with someone else." He waved a hand, bored again. "It's fine. I'll sit. Don't lose your mind."

"I wasn't—"

"Shh, shh," he hushed, dismissing her with a wave before heading back towards a despairing Kagome. He smirked when he sat back down beside her, making sure to press into her space. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You know why," Kagome grumbled. "At this rate, you're going to get us kicked out."

"Never," he swore, but the mayor's assistant was still glaring at him unhappily. He decided to play dumb. "Actually, you know what? Let's go."

Kagome blinked at him, momentarily dumbfounded. "Let's _what_?"

"Go," Inuyasha reiterated, standing up and holding a hand out to her. "This director is already five minutes late to a meeting _with the police_," he announced, rather loudly and with a pronounced glare to the receptionist. "I'm sure we can file our complaints accordingly since this is for a _murder _and all."

"A—" The receptionist, having clearly heard him, started to bulk. The grandchildren photos were minimized on her screen. "Uh, I'm sorry, sir. I can go and get her—"

"No, no," Inuyasha replied, embracing the spirit of his half-brother so that the arrogance flowed through. "It's clear that Director Shiima thinks that her budget meetings are of far greater importance than the murder of one of her city's own. I'm sure that will be a great headline to sent to _The Guardian_, don't you think?"

"I'm sure they'd enjoy the feedback," Kagome played along. "A huge disappointment."

"Sir, I promise you I can get her," the receptionist tried but Inuyasha was already grabbing Kagome's hands and dragging her to the elevator.

"No, I don't think so. I'm horrified by the atrocious acceptance of murder within our city. Your _director _knows how to contact us if she deigns to care at all."

"Sir—"

Inuyasha shoved Kagome through the elevator and spun around with a haughty glare. "Goodbye." He jammed at the 'door close' button exactly seven times, making sure to keep his expression straight and unhappy until they were finally alone.

Kagome sighed and then, unwittingly, laughed. "What the hell," she asked, shaking her head at him.

"I determined it would be a waste of time," Inuyasha replied, her hand still in his. He laced their fingers together, tugging slightly. "She clearly didn't care which meant that any information she gave us would probably be vague and only after pulling it from her like teeth. We have better things to do, like go through the information on the doctor's girlfriend and find whatever blackmail she and the good doctor had."

They left City Hall without a fuss, though one of the people from behind the admin desk on the main level gave them a worried look, phone in hand. Probably the receptionist calling to give details. No one called after them though so they made it outside, the fresh air a welcome reprieve from the stuffiness of the building behind them.

"Dinner?" Inuyasha asked then, dragging them down the walkway towards the parking lot.

"It's early," Kagome replied easily. "We can order delivery at home?"

He was distracted. It was the only excuse he had for why he completely walked into another person, the shock of it turning him around. It was an older woman, her face heavily lined with age and the cruelty of the outdoors. She was bundled up despite the weather in hand-me-downs, her hands shaking as she pressed her palms into his chest.

He took it all in, realization dawning. "Sorry," Inuyasha told her. "Here, hold on a second."

She kept her hands on his chest while he dug out his wallet, pulling a bill from it. He carefully took her hands away, watching her dull eyes as he transferred her scrap of paper for his money. Once the exchange was made, the woman buried herself in her scarf and turned tail, practically running around to the other side of the building.

"What… What was that?" Kagome asked, brown eyes wide.

"A message," Inuyasha murmured, excitement thrumming through him. The scrap of paper left in his hands was worn, dirty, but the message written in pen was clear as day:

_Tomorrow, 6PM. I'll hear you coming._

"Who is it from?" Kagome asked, her head pressed against his shoulder to read it.

"Only one demon that would sign off about his hearing," Inuyasha commented, pulling his gaze away from the message to look at her. "Remember our trip to the Arches?"

"Mimisenrei?" Kagome asked. "Wait, you were asking him for something, weren't you?"

"And apparently he found it." Inuyasha read the message again, and again, and again. "He found our witness to our missing Jane Doe."

"To Shizu," she whispered, hands clutching at him. "Do you think they could help us find her body?"

Inuyasha shrugged but the possibilities displayed themselves before him, endless and thrilling. "Depends," he murmured, tucking the message into his jacket and wrapping an arm around her waist. He used it to haul her closer under the pretense of speeding them through the parking lot to leave even faster. "What's important is that Mimisenrei finally found the allusive Totosai. We finally have yet another break in the case."

* * *

**Next Time on **_**Deductions:**_

"What did you see?" Kagome asked.

Totosai spared her a glance, less twitchy when it was her soothing tones. His answer, when it came, was a sigh of defeat. "Everything."

* * *

**Responses to Anon Reviews:**

Guest: Haha apparently no one was prepared for the smut so I'll take the win. Did you expect THIS SMUT?! Thanks love!

NoYoureNotReal: I am happy to be of service, my love. You're the greatest.

LQH: Oh my god, you're so adorable and so, so sweet. Thank you, love. AH. I'm going to go scream now.

Stella: SWEET BABY JESUS, STELLA. You are, without a doubt, one of the kindest people ever. I cried for a good hot minute reading your comments. Ugh. What would I do without you.

Mal: Well, that's probably a good thing? Hahaha I'll assume it was XD Considering how the last chapter ended. You're a gem and a dear and I adore you.

Irish Indy: You are one of the few people who probably thought the relationship wasn't slow and honestly I adore you for that. Thank you lol. I honestly didn't even think about it I'm just in my Lalaland of like HAHAHAHAHA MYSTERY TO SOLVE, WHY HAVE ROMANCE. But no, the romance is there. I'm just a disaster. What is the point of my rambling? NO CLUE. But you're wonderful and I thank you immensely.

MandiRox89: AHH thank you darling! It's really interesting because I want Inuyasha and Kagome to be, you know, INUYASHA AND KAGOME. But this is also Sherlock so like…a blend of SHERLOCK AND WATSON and I usually just pray for the best and here we are. You're too good to me. I hope you loved this chapter too, darling :)

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